Her Peace
by RainKandySux
Summary: Ginsui Fukukado was pushed by her cousin/best friend, Emi "Joke", into finding help in using her Empathy quirk at U.A. A run in with All for One opened up the opportunity for her to be rid of the pain her quirk caused, but a second option was just around the corner. Would she choose to give evil her abilities so she could be free forever or put her faith in a friend's helpful gaze?
1. The Encounter

I've recently gotten into MHA and couldn't stop myself from creating a mini-story. I hope it's okay! This chapter is an introduction to the OC I made for this fic. As always, I don't own any of the other characters. Most chapters will be present day, but this one is 15-16 years in the past. Thanks for reading :D

*Coverart drawn by sojuuboy. You can view her MHA sketches among other genres) at Tumblr and Instagram!

* * *

Her Peace

Ginsui Fukukado

Hair: Light Grey

Eyes: Orange to Pink

Height: 5'6"

Age: 15, 30 in Later Chapters

Quirk: Empathy- She feels what others feel within a 3 mile radius. This includes and is not limited to happiness, fear, sadness, anger, hopelessness, pride, etc. All her senses such as smell and hearing are heavily linked and affected as she experiences what others do.

* * *

"Ginsui…don't look just yet, but there are two cuties behind us," Emi Fukukado giggled in her best friend's ear.

The two were close even at birth. Their fathers were brothers, so the girls were naturally raised together. Unfortunately, Emi's uncle didn't live into his thirties. His quirk had been too much and it was regrettably inherited by the usually soft-spoken girl she was standing next to.

Ginsui struggled daily and only made it this far thanks to her cousin's Outburst tricks. Her essence of pure joy is what inspired Ginsui to nickname her "Joke." Joke was her rock, her balance to the never-ending swats of negativity nagging at her daily by everyone else in the world. If it wasn't for that, she would have suffocated from the burdens of people she didn't even know.

Luckily, she was able to make arrangements with the school so that she could get her education from home. Her other days were spent building engines for mechanical-type quirk users at a local factory. It was one of the few places that was noisy enough to drown out the hum of human emotion.

Today was one of those days. She was currently sporting the long blue smock and old jeans she used as the uniform.

"Are you listening, Gini? I said, there are TWO CUTIES BEHIND US!" Joke yelled loud enough to let the onlookers know she had caught them staring.

Ginsui blushed in embarrassment. The soft, pink tint darkened to scarlet when she made eye contact with one of the guys her silly cousin was referring to. His long, black hair tangled around his pale face and his innocent stare squinted into a scowl once he realized he had been caught. However, the cold face could not hide what was unseen to everyone but the single person it was locked on.

Ginsui's mouth popped open uncertainly as she felt his pure, unadulterated _want _for her. She heard his _need _to bury his face into her long, curly silver hair. She could taste his fierce belief that it was a _basic necessity _to keep looking into her eyes as if their orange-pink glow was a once-in-a-life-time sunset. It was way too much too fast. Who even dares to think so passionately about someone they've only seen once?

There had only been a handful of times Ginsui had experienced the feeling of such desire and all of them were in passing from people that were on dates. She never imagined that she would be a prospect of such and surely not from someone so…bitter looking.

She cleared her throat before trying to tune into the other guy. His sandy blonde hair stuck out unnaturally and his grin was too big for his face. It was adorable. He seemed smitten by her cousin, so she decided to focus on that as best as she could. It was difficult though when the freaking lust emitting from his friend was beating down the door to her nerves. Had this guy seen her before? You can't simply develop such strong feelings with one look, right?

"What are they thinking? I can see it on you face that it's good," Joke pressured her into spilling the beans.

"Uhm...well…"

"Hey you, with the black hair! If you like what you see now, wait until she takes this off," Joke squealed in delight as she snatched her cousin's smock free. The buttons popped in response and exposed her chest to those standing around.

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT, EMI?" Ginsui screamed in panic as she snatched the smock back on.

"HOW THE HELL WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE A BRA ON? WHO THE FUCK IS THAT BRAVE, GINI?!"

"IT'S HOT WHERE I WORK AND A BRA FEELS LIKE A RESTRAINING JACKET IN THOSE CONDITIONS," the petrified girl whined exasperatedly.

The two continued to argue as disbelief bounced around the bystanders.

"This is the best day of my life, Shota," Hizashi smiled at his comrade.

"Same," Aizawa replied more calmly than he felt. He was good at putting up a false front.

Today had been their last day of summer. They were going to spend the bus ride finishing their preparations for the U.A. exam they were headed to. It was the perfect start. Surely this meant that the following year was going to be unstoppable.

"I'm so sorry cuz, I should have been more thoughtful," Joke sighed as they made their way to a seat on the bus they had been waiting for this entire time.

"It's okay. I needed the distraction."

"You know, it's okay to let loose sometimes. I know it's hard to laugh when…well… you know," Joke trailed timidly.

Ginsui's quirk was a sore spot. It was only last year that it had almost sunk her like it had her father. Suicide wasn't as uncommon as it should have been, especially lately. There were more and more people developing stronger quirks that were incompatible with human nature and the effects were nasty.

Joke had only recently convinced her cousin into applying for U.A. If there was anyone that could help ease Ginsui's burden, if there was someone that could just give her a break from the agonizing torture of constant emotion, it would be there. The girls were hoping that the best of the best of all Hero academies would know how to get Ginsui an on/off switch.

"GiniMcSui pants, there's something I need to confess," Joke began carefully.

"Okay?"

"I'm not trying out for U.A. I only said that I was going with you so that you would have to go."

"What?!"

"Please, listen. I do not mean what I am about to say in a bad way, so please don't be upset with me."

"Oh no."

"Ginsui, you have used me as a handicap. I am your joy and peace in a world full of fear and worry. The negative vibes outweigh the positive ones and that's just how life is. My dear cousin, I'm afraid that my own quirk may have stifled your growth into developing your own defense. You've relied on me so often that you never had a chance at finding the happiness in having others around…or within yourself. I would love to tag along, but I want you to get the same opportunities as me and that isn't going to happen if we go the same route."

Ginsui could feel the authenticity in her cousin's words even if she hated them.

"I understand," she solemnly sighed.

The rest of the ride continued in silence until the wretched taste of dread filled the air around the empath.

"Not now," Ginsui muttered before jumping up.

Somewhere, a villain had begun an attack. The bus had not quite reached it and the accident could still be miles away. Hundreds of voices rang in her ears as their panicked emotions reached out to her. She looked around at the calm riders and wished she could be like them.

It wouldn't be long before they would begin to feel as she and it wasn't because the danger was any nearer. No, it would be her fault. The older she got, the more she inadvertently shoved the overwhelming amount of feelings she got onto other people. It may have been an act of self-preservation, but it was an unhealthy one that could potentially hurt innocent people.

She dropped her bags and pushed her way to the front of the bus.

"Sir, please let me off here," she barely choked out. How much longer did she have until the panic spilled over? It would be a disaster if it happened in such a tightly filled area.

"Ma'am, I can't exactly do that right now," the driver replied in confusion.

"Out!" She demanded.

*crrsshk* "There's been an accident at Shibuya Crossing. You'll need to stop soon until we get it taken care of *crrshhk* over."

"Heard, over," the driver replied back into the radio speaker.

"Looks like you better take a seat and get comfortable," he said as he motioned for Ginsui to sit down.

"Gini?" Joke called from the back. She could see the cold sweat starting to form on her friend's ashen face.

"Please, sir, I am begging you. I must get off now," Ginsui pleaded as calmly as she could muster.

"Jeez lady. I said take a seat," the driver growled before pushing her aside.

He gasped and puked seconds after his hand made contact. That was all it took; one touch and he was stampeded by her quirk.

"Wh…what" he moaned from the steering wheel as the young, terrified teen grabbed the lever to open the bus door and jolted out the exit.


	2. The Encounter Pt 2

The next chapter is going to be about Mic's and Erasure's entrance exams, but all the others will be focused on the present time in the anime/manga. Thanks for the patience as I get the backgrounds finished!

* * *

Her Peace

"What the hell was that about?" Hizashi Yamada mumbled to his classmate, Shota Aizawa.

Joke turned to address the speaker without realizing it was one of the boys she and Ginsui had teased earlier. She bit her tongue in thought before giving too much away.

"Her quick can be a hindrance in times of distress. She needed to get away before the others suffered the same as that guy," she mildly explained and pointed at the bus driver.

"The trouble isn't that close yet, though. How did she know that there was a problem before it was reported? Why would she make the problem worse…or better yet, _how_?" Yamada asked.

"Ugh, I should have known you'd be the type to ask questions," Joke sighed.

"I'll go after her," Aizawa shrugged before standing up to leave.

"That's not a good idea," Joke voiced.

"I can help," he politely retorted.

"Hahahaha RIGHT. Inappropriate thoughts ain't what she needs from anyone right now McPervypants Titslover," Joke cackled.

Yamada rolled over in laughter. Joke's quirk quickly lightened the mood Ginsui's left behind. She frowned at the lack of smile from the other teen. Her goofiness never failed, yet there he was pouting. What a stick in the mud.

"If you really want to be helpful, you can stick around with me and help me carry her stuff. She's supposed to be taking the U.A. exams today and from the looks of things, you two were headed that way too," she stated and pointed to their books, "Here let me see your phones. I'll put our numbers in it so we can meet later."

"Whooa yeah!" Yamada cheered as he slapped Aizawa's back, "First a free strip tease and now TWO numbers from hot babes! We're going to pass the tests for sure!"

Joke giggled loudly. Ginsui was going to kill her, but at least she'll have two dudes looking out for her if she gets into the school.

* * *

How long had she been running? She no longer felt the gloom of danger from the attack, so it had to have been at least three miles away. She looked around to figure out where she had stopped before collapsing to the ground in a heap of turmoil.

Her head was tucked between her legs and her palms squeezed her ears tightly. How could she have forgotten her bags? The headphones she used whenever she was alone were in one of them and she really needed to focus on her own whereabouts instead of the background noise from other people.

She whimpered softly and began to count to ten. "One, two, three, four, five, six…" over and over until her breathing returned to a normal pace. Meanwhile, a man was ever so slightly nearing her vicinity. She knew of his existence, but didn't want to react too soon. He was already standing over her when she decided it was time to head back.

_Damnit, I'm too late_, she thought irritably. She was so focused on getting herself in check that she hadn't paid much attention to how strong his presence had gotten.

"You seemed overwhelmed earlier. I thought kids these days were used to the explosive drama…" the stranger slowly drawled.

Ginsui, still secretly shaken up, raised her head to look at the speaker.

"What kind of society do we live in that a person should be used to violence and destruction?" She mused aloud. She was hoping to keep him preoccupied enough so that he wouldn't notice her forming an escape plan.

"Hmmm interesting words from someone with the world's issues dancing on her heartstrings. Don't look so surprised, I know about your issue. Is your quirk bothering you? Or perhaps you're not the sweet girl you look like? Do you enjoy the scent of blood? The cries of those dying? Is that why you're still trembling like a leaf in the summer wind?"

Ginsui blinked back her surprise. She read his mood correctly- mischief- but not the motivation behind it. She noted the strange way his voice changed octaves between questions.

"As interesting as this one-sided conversation is, I have somewhere to be. My friends are expecting me," she sighed and stood. Her knees knocked despite her desperation at feigning calmness.

"No, no, no not yet. I need to make sure you're the right target. Does this man look familiar to you?" The stranger blocked her path and asked as he showed her a picture.

It was a ten year younger version of her dad. His hair was already a deep grey and his copper-colored eyes were sunken in exhaustion.

"You two do look awfully similar," he waved the image closer.

Ginsui finally locked eyes with the stranger. He had a deep scar in the middle of his forehead. He couldn't have been more than 5 years older than her. She didn't expect that. Instead of answering him, she chose to fire a round of her own questions.

"Who are you? How did you get that?"

"Ah haha, you see, my master has been in search of quirks that he finds advantageous. Can you imagine the endless possibilities this guy had? When I found him, he was banging his head into a brick wall screaming 'shut up' to those that passed by. I tried to talk him into coming with me for help, but he just told me to 'shut up' as well and continued his self-destruction."

Ginsui fought back her regret from running here. She knew her dad took his own life, but didn't know how morbidly. Was that her fate? Smashing her own head in until she could no longer feel? No, this guy had a way out.

"You can help?"

"Oh! That's right! I haven't properly introduced my proposal! Your old man's quirk was a type of telepathy right? You seem to have inherited it, as my master assumed as much from the Fukukado clan, and now he wants it. What do you say? Would you like to sleep at night without any interruptions? Would you like to be able to take a walk without being bombarded by the problems of everyone around? Come on, come on, a life of unending bliss or anguish! What do you say?"

It was a lot to process and Ginsui didn't have enough time to do that right now. She only had about an hour left before the exam would start. How much longer would this take? It wouldn't hurt to just see what this "master" had to offer. Worst case scenario, she'd miss the exams and the possibility of getting help managing her quirk instead of having someone bad taking it off her hands. Would she be able to live with herself knowing that she gave her power away to someone who would abuse it?

"Lead the way," she finally voiced.

She was blind folded and pulled away. The minutes seemed to pass slowly. She couldn't see, but she could still sense the presence of at least three others excluding the one tugging her around. The three nearby were unnaturally emotionless. They felt…alien to her.

The blind fold was swiftly removed so that she could see what was off about the people. Two were standing stiffly to her left while the third sat behind a black screen in front of her. She gasped at the creatures only feet away from her. They were creepier than any horror flick monster she had seen. Their unformed skulls exposed pink wrinkles of brain and their eyes were cold, dead.

Surely they were not once human? The shadow of the man before her spoke. He did not seem like the monstrous guards, so why did his soul match theirs? Why did his heart fill like a black hole?

"I don't want to take up too much of your time. I know you were previously engaged and I don't want to make you late."

_He knows of the exam. He knew about my dad. What else is going on? What is the big scheme?_ Ginsui contemplated.

"Being emotionally bound to others is an imperative task to live with. Let me help you alleviate that load from your tiny shoulders. Now, I'm a generous man so I wouldn't leave you quirkless although I suspect that would be all you'd want. No, I'd trade you for something more practical. Flashy? Elemental? Something less grand? You name it, I'll give it."

Ginsui took in her surroundings as he rambled on. The more she memorized now, the more she could use later if needed. This guy could be a big problem to the Hero community. Ten minutes passed as the man let her sit and think. The absence of feelings was nice. Was he able to mask his so that she could get a taste of what life could be like? She felt her eyes getting heavy. It had been over twelve hours since she had slept. The solitude was so nice. She could rest peacefully here.

Ten more minutes passed. Fifteen. She needed to get to the exam, but sleep was only seconds away.

"I'll give you a week to decide. Twice here will meet with you at that point to give me your decision. Just know, little girl, that a gift like yours is a great asset that I will not let slip through my fingers a second time. If you don't accept the trade off, then I will get it by other means."

His words snapped her from her daze. His last sentence ruined any chance he had at gaining her abilities persuasively. Maybe his attitude changed because he found her willingness too easy. Maybe he just couldn't hide the evil within him entirely. Whatever his reasoning was, Ginsui knew what her answer would be whether it was now or a week later.

"_There is always another way, GiGi"_ her father used to say each morning before school. He had taken a dark one to freedom. She could do the same, or she could trust Joke's belief in getting positive help.

"I'll see you later," her voice cracked.

"Finally," Twice huffed and wrapped her eyes back up.

* * *

"Where is she?" Joke mumbled as she paced around the entrance of U.A.

Aizawa and Yamada, the two names for the new acquaintances she acquired, were already inside.

"Where the hell have you been lady-late-all-the-time?! I've been worried, which is a really hard thing for me to be! Your husband and his yellow-haired, sunglasses friend ditched me cause you were taking so long!"

"Husband? Are you doing that thing again? The thing where every single man we run into is victim to your proposals?"

"Yes, but this time I just KNOW he's the one…for you at least," Joke teased but the hint of seriousness was not unnoticed.

"I'll have to talk to you about what happened, but I better hurry!" Ginsui rushed past her green haired cousin.

She pushed the heavy door to the auditorium and hoped she'd be able to simply sneak into an empty seat.

"Oh my," she coughed before hiding her face in her hands. The door she took didn't lead to the seating, but to the stage facing it.

"Why hello there, young applicant! I'm pleased to meet you!" The white furred principal smiled. He seemed completely unaffected by her rudely abrupt appearance.

She smiled awkwardly before climbing down the stage and into a vacant seat.

"That was quite an inspiring entrance!" A raven haired beauty whispered excitedly beside her.

"I'm Kayama Nemuri," she introduced herself, holding her hand out delicately. Ginsui returned the introduction and shook her hand.

"Aizawa Shota," a familiar voice spoke out from the opposite side of her. She turned around and faced the teen that got a lucky look at her chest earlier that day. She shook his hand and bit her bottom lip. At least he was cordial, unlike his friend.

"Hey there, sweet cheeks! Can you give us another show if we pass?" Yamada winked unashamedly.

Aizawa glared, shutting his obnoxious comrade up. After a few more minutes of a speech and rules, there were given handouts for where to go.

"Aww, it looks like we part ways here," Nemuri sadly pouted to Ginsui.

"See ya later, ol' pal!" Yamada said as he left Aizawa.

"Looks like we got placed in the same location," Aizawa smirked.

"Shall we go?" Ginsui attempted to smile back. The room was originally filled with excitement and pride but it was now transforming into box of anxiety and she needed out.

Aizawa held his hand out, hinting for her to take the lead. She knew he just wanted to see if the backside was as a great as the front. But for once, she didn't mind. She had been around Joke all day and it was natural for her to start acting more boldly too.


	3. The Practical Exam

I was originally going to jump on ahead to the current class of 1A students, but I didn't want to do a bunch of flashbacks. Instead, I'm going to develop the OC's current arc and then do a mini flashfoward once that's established. Anyway, thanks for taking time to check out my story!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of MHA characters and scenes.

* * *

Her Peace

Shota Aizawa and Ginsui Fukukado approached the arena cautiously. Ginsui took note of the young man walking with her. He was focused on the other competitors, so she assumed his quirk wasn't one that would bring him a victory without using others.

"As you can see, the challenge is quite simple, a race. The only requirement is that you must use your quirks. The first ten to make it over the finish line will pass," the host announced to the fifty-five runners present.

Ginsui would have to ensure that she stopped the others from competing at the very beginning if she was going to stand a chance. She thought about how she felt hours ago when she was falling asleep in the villain's cellar-like office. If she could make those around her feel that way, they would be incapacitated long enough for her to cross the line.

"Line up! On your mark. Get Set. Go!" The sound of a pop announced the beginning of the race.

Aizawa was in the process of stopping an engine-like quirk user from speeding ahead when he felt the sudden need to nap. He sat down and drowsily watched the others do the same. The only one unaffected was Ginsui. The two nearest her were unconscious, one of which was snoring enthusiastically.

The spell caster was already half way to the end. If he didn't stop her soon, then none of the other competitors were going to pass unless she let them. It was at that moment she turned to see if her trick was successful.

Sunset met midnight as their eyes locked. A distant, long forgotten memory she had stored away resurfaced.

_It was her first (and last) day of kindergarten. She was swinging next to a raven-haired classmate. Another girl fell and hurt her leg. Her pain and agony spiraled into Gini, knocking her off her swing. Her quirk had just activated for the first time. She began sobbing just as dramatically as the girl that was hurt. The boy that was with her snatched her onto her feet. _

"_What's the matter, GiGi?"_

"_It hurts. I feel her hurt," she cried. _

"_I think I can help with that," he replied compassionately and activated his own ability. _

_Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. The 'ouch' was gone. She could only hear her own heartbeat, feel her own senses without the injured girl's interfering. _

_The freedom only lasted a few seconds before the boy blinked. _

_The rush of worry flooded back into her. _

"_Do…do it again ZaZa, show me the trick again!" she had cheered. _

"ZaZa?" she gasped.

His eyes reddened and his hair lifted as if he were made of static. Suddenly, she felt nothing. That sweet, precious silence she longed for.

"_There is always another way, GiGi" _her father's saying ringed in her ears.

This was the other path. This was the serendipity she had been waiting for.

Aizawa blinked and the anxiety, anger, and frustration of the other racers flooded back into Ginsui. Danger of failure started to dawn on her. Hope rekindled itself when she noticed the others would slow down in intervals, as if their quirks were turned off like hers has been moments before.

Aizawa was right behind her with the others trailing, but gaining speed. Next thing she knew, the rare sensation of frantic knocked on her consciousness. An unseen racer was about to do something reckless and it was coming from somewhere beneath her…no… from beneath the saving grace behind her.

She turned mid-sprint and grabbed Shota. She used her memento to sling him over the finish line just as another racer popped from the ground—the other racer's spiraled fists splitting the earth seconds later. They nicked the bottom of her heels as she fell backwards over the line and onto Aizawa.

Recovery Girl was already on the scene and hastily made her way to all those injured.

"Thanks," Aizawa sighed. How dare he get saved by some chick that didn't even know how to properly dress in public?

"I was wondering if you were ever going to remember me. It's been a long time, huh, GiGi?" He smiled as Recovery Girl dressed Ginsui's pierced feet.

"I can't believe it took so long," she blushed.

Her mother was American, so she grew up in a bilingual home. As a young child, she had trouble pronouncing some Japanese names and his had been one of them. Because she called him "ZaZa" he opted to call her "GiGi," a nickname that only her father had used before.

"Ms. Fukukado?" U.A.'s Principal Nezu addressed the still-bleeding applicant, interrupting the two teens catch-up.

"Yes?" She frowned as Recovery Girl dismissed herself and Aizawa from the conversation.

"Come with me, please," he asked. Once they were in his office, he began.

"I don't want to trouble you too much, so I'll get straight to the point. We here at U.A. and the other Pro-Hero agencies, have been keeping tabs on you after your father's passing. It was his request, you see. He had been targeted and was afraid the same would be done to you."

Ginsui sat quietly as she let the news soak in.

"Your abilities, while inherently good, can have horrible consequences. There is a powerful foe that is slowly gaining credibility within the villain community. I am worried that he will find a way to use your gift against you. How hard would it be to fake a disaster? To fake an explosion of negative energy designed to push you into a corner, to isolate you?"

Her mouth popped open. Had that already happened…like today?!

"Is there something you need to tell me?" Her soon-to-be principal questioned. The rosy-eyed youth explained her strange encounter.

"You have two options. We can send you to America with your mother so that you will be out of this new villain's reach, or we can work something out to prepare you for a long road ahead of you here."

"I'm not sure what information you have about that woman, but she died a long time ago," Ginsui explained.

"Oh I'm so sorry, dear," Nezu frowned and didn't mention her again. Minutes later, a curriculum was established and tailored to her needs.

One, she would need to reduce the proximity of her empathy. Three miles was chaotic and inaccurate, so their goal was to bring that down to only one mile. This would reduce the chances of fake accidents made to lure her away and remove some of the overwhelming emotions she felt from daily life.

Two, She would need to learn how to control what she emitted so that she wouldn't have any accidents of causing wide-spread panic. She already showed promise based on today's test, but she had a long way to go to reach what they had planned for her.

Three, she would need to develop a fighting style in case she came in contact with foes that were unaffected by her endorphin manipulation quirk. This wasn't her biggest concern at this time, but they wanted her to make a conscious effort to get physically stronger.

The meeting wrapped up quickly and she wanted nothing more than to soak in a bubble bath.

* * *

**That Friday Night**

*knock knock*

"Who could that be?" Ginsui questioned a grinning Joke. She could feel the explosion of glee her cousin was failing to keep at bay.

"So, you remember the dudes from the bus incident?"

"What did you do?" Ginsui asked as she headed for the door.

"Since all three of you passed and got into the TOP SCHOOL IN JAPAN, I decided to celebrate!"

"How did you know that they made it in too?"

"It's called communication, dummy," Joke laughed and held up her phone, "Don't look at me like that, like we can't have friends that are boys!"

"What's this I hear about boys?" Joke's dad spoke up from his bedroom, "Haha I don't really give a fuck, have fun," he followed up before Joke needed to explain.

Ginsui rolled her eyes and headed to the door.

"WHAT'S UUUUUUUP!" Hizashi Yamada yelled from behind Aizawa.

Ginsui couldn't resist a giggle. This was what she had in store for her the next three years: laughter, friendship, and a sense of security.

Or so she had thought.


	4. Her Fault

Maybe 3 more chapters left before I get to bring in the current 1A class :D I know that was supposed to be 3 chapters ago, but I'm terrible XD.

Disclaimer: I have no rights for the manga or anime

* * *

Her Peace

The first school year flew by. Today, the 1A class was required to come up with a hero name and participate in a rescue type simulation using their new costumes so that they could send requests for any modifications they needed.

Hizashi Yamada was over enthusiastic about the naming. So much so, he refused to let Ginsui use her own name like she was originally going to do.

"Come on now, Ginicakes! What about the 'Grey Deceptor," he offered the fourth suggestion.

"Too villainy," Gini sighed.

"Drama Queen!" Present Mic (his new moniker that he had planned since he was like seven) asked.

"Ugh, absolutely not," she whined…even if it was the most accurate depiction of her quirk.

"I got it!" he began for the umpteenth time. He stood on the chair of his desk and waved his hands in front of him. "The Silver Sorceress!"

Ginsui mimicked him by climbing onto her chair, using the same hand wave and cheering "Don't worry, the Silver Sorceress is here!"

Aizawa, now Eraserhead thanks to his best friend, rolled his eyes.

"Great, now return to your seats so that I can hand out the cases that hold your costumes," their teacher announced.

Ginsui frowned once she got hers.

"What's up?" Zaza asked after he noticed her hesitation.

"It's just, Emi sent in my application along with the design options. She's kinda obnoxious sometimes so there's no telling what's in here," she explained.

"Oh," he unsuccessfully hid a rare chuckle.

Ginsui closed her eyes as the rest of her class excitedly examined their costumes. She didn't have much time and she was going to be stuck with whatever she had now, so she slowly propped the lid open.

"HHhh oh my gosh," she inhaled sharply before slamming the case closed.

Aizawa bit his bottom lip in an attempt to stifle a grin. He had turned around quick enough to catch a glimpse of something iridescent poking out from the metal box.

"I can't wear this!" Ginsui squealed.

"The outfit should be close to what you wanted when you applied," the teacher frowned.

"Well, that's the thing. I didn't exactly send in this stuff. My cousin did and—"

"No need for any excuses, just fill this form out with what you need to change. In the meantime, just use what you have for the next class."

"Can I just wear my P.E. clothes?" Gini begged.

"It can't be _that_ bad."

"I don't think it's appropriate, really."

"Surely it's not as revealing as Ms. Kayama's over here," the teacher explained, "All right class. You're dismissed. Head over to the locker rooms, change, and meet the rescue instructor outside for the ride over to the USJ."

The other girls in the class, excluding Midnight, stared at Ginsui. Her pale skin shimmered underneath the iridescent body suit. A silver, strapless bra and matching booty shorts were the only things shielding her from total indecency. As a half-American, her assets were a little above average than the girls around her. She could feel her cheeks hanging out of the shorts. She did have a matching silver masquerade mask so that no one could see her face. Not that it made her feel any more secure.

"I can't go out there like this," she cried.

"And why the hell not?! You're a freaking babe!" Midnight smiled encouragingly.

"Yeah, I wish I had been more risky with my design!" another classmate winked.

"Honestly! Who knew your ass was so big!" Another teased before slapping her bum.

Ginsui wanted to melt into the ground as she followed the other girls outside. She had wrapped herself in a long coat she had stored in her locker from the past winter. She knew she would have to remove it once the training started, but she was covered for now at least.

The rescue instructor skimmed through the list of hero names and began to assign teams at random.

"Midnight and Silver, you two will be the rescuers and Eraser and Mic go to the Flood Zone arena and act as the victims aboard the shipwreck. Once rescued, you'll need to switch roles and head over to the Landslide area."

The instructor continued to name off the teams as they each separated and departed to their designated locations.

"Now's a good time to take that off," Midnight giggled.

"I guess…everyone is busy with their own rescues to notice…" Ginsui trailed, but kept the coat on.

The two girls headed to the ship wrecked area and watched as Mic dramatically hung his head out of a window of the ship.

"Help, oh help! My legs are broken!" He cried out.

"Then how are you able to stand," Eraser grumpily asked as he also stuck his head out.

"HEEEELP!" Mic screamed out, ignoring his partner. His quirk activated, sending Ginsui's coat flying along with the booming sound waves.

The light in the room illuminated her costume. She was like a disco ball and she hated everything in that moment.

Silence took over the USJ as all the split teams stared at the glowing light coming from the Flood Zone, trying to figure out whose quirk did that.

"This is perfect! You're like a lighthouse!" Midnight cheered at Ginsui's exposure.

"Just grab those rafts and send them over to the 'stranded victims' and let's get this over with," Gini sighed.

One year later, Mic still brought up the incident. Her cousin, officially named "Ms. Joke" laughed every single time. Her injustice never got old to her silly best friend.

* * *

This second year of school seemed to be moving quicker than the first. The only major change for the students was physical. Ginsui was certainly more toned than before and her quirk manifested as well. Now, her eyes would change color to reflect the emotion she emitted onto a target i.e. blue for sadness, red for anger, yellow for joy, etc.

Ginsui, now at sixteen, had already mastered the ability of reducing her power's range to one mile. She couldn't believe the difference of exhaustion. She was much less tired now that she didn't feel everyone and their momma's issues three miles away. However, there were many days she had Aizawa come over to her place and take away her quirk so she could go to sleep more easily. It helped him extend the use of his own abilities, so he never had a reason to complain.

She still hadn't been bothered by the unknown supervillain. It was unsettling. She was thinking of the lack of contact when she drowsily zoned out to the back of Aizawa's head.

She was so grateful for him. He was always eager to help her rest. She chalked it up to his undisclosed feelings for her. She never had to manipulate him and she was so grateful that he never accused her of such. His feelings were genuine, even if Midnight joked otherwise.

Ginsui couldn't help but notice the changes with Aizawa as well. Manhood hit him hard. He was at least six foot and his ruggedness suited his bone structure. Ginsui was in the process of daydreaming about running her fingers through his curly mess of hair. Why was she so tired today?

"Ms. Fukukado?" The teacher coughed for the fifth time that day.

"Oh...umm… yeah, sorry I don't know what's going on. Are we still in chapter three?" Ginsui stammered.

"Okay, I've had enough. Get out and come back when you're ready to learn," the teacher barked as she thwacked her ruler irritably on Gini's desk.

The class exchanged looks of concern. No one had been kicked out and no one thought it would be one of the well-behaved students.

"Whoa, Ginicakes, what's your deal?" Mic asked as he helped her gather her things.

"Nothing important," she yawned before dragging herself out.

"Dude, she was totaling looking at you when she said that," Mic whispered to Aizawa as their daydreaming friend left.

A walk was exactly what she needed to calm her mind—that is if the dozens of couples in her vicinity would shut the hell up with their lovey-dovey hormones interrupting her barely awake brain cells.

Ugh!" Ginsui whined aloud, stretching out in the warm sun and then burying her ears under headphones.

She was supposed to stay on campus, but there was an open bench just outside the gate that looked eager to be used. It wasn't going to hurt anything for her to sit in it, right?

"I see you're still struggling to tune everything out," an all-too familiar voice caught her attention before she turned on some music to block the nearby people out.

"It took you long enough, over two years actually," Ginsui replied to Twice.

"It's not easy getting a U.A. student _alone_."

"Well here I am now, and I'm not going with you. I found another failsafe for my quirk and I don't need to exchange it after all. Please tell your boss that I decline."

The man laughed, "It's not that simple," and split in two.

"Well damn," Gini sighed before running back towards the entrance of the school.

"Oh," she gasped as the clone closest to her split again. She ran right into its arms.

* * *

~ CODE BLUE…CODE BLUE~

"What does that mean?" Midnight asked as the school's alarm rang.

"Long story short, a kid with a dangerous quirk left the campus without permission. _How_ they were able to walk out is a bit concerning. Sit tight class, we're on lockdown," the homeroom teacher advised before activating a barrier to their room.

"Yo Eraser, you don't think Silver has anything to do with this, do you?" Mic asked. He started using their hero names to develop the habit just in case they needed to keep their identities personal after graduation.

Aizawa rolled his eyes. He took a sleeping bag out of his desk and curled up in it. He knew it was best not to worry about things like that. She was going to be seventeen soon and was a master of emotional manipulation. She basically had a built-in danger tracker. She could take care of herself.

"This is just my luck, jeez," the teacher sighed as she hung up the phone.

"Do the professors know who it is?" Midnight asked.

"It seems Ginsui decided to take it upon herself to enjoy the day outside campus. Cameras show that she was in a conversation with a stranger just outside our entranceway. She tried to take a run back in, but he split himself into four and managed to take her captive."

"Oh shit, it's all my fault!" Midnight cried. "My quirk doesn't work as well on females and she's a hard person to crack. I wanted to find a subtle way to strengthen my abilities, so I've been drowning her in my aroma all day to see how long it would take to make her go to sleep. She always looks so tired, so I was only trying to help."

Mic laughed inappropriately as Aizawa grimaced. Midnight's quirk wasn't just torturing GiGi. He had been hiding his own sleep behind his book for the past thirty minutes.

"Goddamn it, Midnight," Aizawa spat before activating his quirk to rid the classroom of Midnight's toxic fragrance.

* * *

_Shit, shit, shipity shit,_ Ginsui's mind raced. She was desperately toying with Twice's endorphins, but he felt blank.

"Sorry kid, All for One's helping me out with that trick of yours. I have a temporary barrier, so you can give up now."

_All for One_ Gini thought. It was a fitting name for someone that claimed he could take her power.

"I hate to do this, but this is the end for now," Twice winked before punching her in the temple.

Ginsui awoke in a dark, abandoned street. The sun had already set and the sky was starless from the thick storm clouds blowing in. The buildings were all dilapidated and clearly unused. A soft sputter of short, strangled breaths reached her ears as she gathered her bearings.

She sat up slowly, hoping to keep the banging in her head at a minimum. A blue-clad, blonde-headed hero lied weak beside her.

"All Might?!" she called out worriedly.

"I'm so sorry, young Fukukado. I was…almost too late….but don't you worry…I am here," he choked, grasping his badly wounded side.

All for One laid in a pool of blood, ash, and dirt a few feet away. He was dead and All Might was going to follow if she didn't do something fast.

He smiled through clenched teeth. Anyone else would have been fooled. Anyone else would have found him invincible with those pearly whites beaming at them.

She wasn't just anyone though.

She felt his agony. She felt his _fear_. He, the symbol of Peace, Power, and Plus Ultra was scared that he had been too late to save her.

She caused this mess. If she hadn't been acting like a freaking teenager and daydreaming about a guy, then she wouldn't have been distracted in class and made to leave.

She couldn't fly them to safety. She couldn't send sparks or do anything flashy to let someone know where they were. She was useless. A goddamn useless, stupid, girl.

"Fuck!" She screamed before punching the ground. She began to climb to the nearest rooftop. She could yell. Yeah, she could do that at least. Maybe, just maybe she could even emit a strong enough amount of panic to get someone's attention.

Once she reached her destination, she raised her hands into the wind, took a deep breath, and screamed. She would make someone feel her frustration. She would make someone gag in fear. She would do whatever it took to bring her help. Her eyes transformed into a deep shade of purple and those within a mile woke up from insidious nightmares and were met with loud shrieks.

It felt like hours had crawled by, but it had only been fifteen minutes when an ambulance arrived. The rest of the night was spent in deep interrogation and convert discussion. The media had been kept away so that All Might's status was kept the same.

She wasn't going to be so pathetic next time. She had put too much time into her quirk and less on physical strength. She wasn't about to make the same mistake. She had to learn a fighting style in case she ever faced hand-to-hand combat again.

* * *

"Fuck man, look at her go," Mic conversed with Eraser.

They were watching her during gym class. She was punching through the armor of one of their metal-making classmates. She was playing the song "Trouble Man" by T.I. at full volume.

"I need a break!" The defendant moaned as Ginsui shattered the shield he held in his left arm for the eighth time.

"I don't have time for that," Gini sighed before kicking the broken metal away from them. "Again, please, just one more time."

The classmate reluctantly formed another.

"Let me have that," Aizawa interrupted and took the shield away.

"Oh my fucking god, thanks man. I swear she's trying to kill me!"

Aizawa shrugged the gratitude away and returned his attention to Ginsui.

"Hit me," he commanded gently.

She lifted her bloodied, wrapped fists, but faltered.

"Quit hesitating and HIT ME!" he spat.

She raised her broken knuckles again.

His words didn't match his soul. She knew he didn't want her to continue fighting. She knew he wanted her to stop playing this stupid game of punishing herself. That wasn't all she sensed from him. How could he still find her so attractive? She was soaked in sweat and her face was still bruised. She was a loser who got kidnapped and there he was, aura just as strong as the day they met.

"Uggh! She cried out in exhaustion with life in general. She ripped the bandages from her hands and collapsed to the floor.

Aizawa dropped the shield, pulled out a sleeping bag from thin air, and settled down next to her.

"This is a really gross place to nap. Can we do this somewhere else?" he teased.

She made the 'ugh' noise again, but follow up with something that neither expected. She took off her sneakers, unzipped his bag, and snuggled in. Her head rested underneath his chin.

Then, she did something she had been holding back. She cried.

He didn't move. He didn't make a sound. He remained as still and silent as a statue as her sobs became soft whimpers.

Her feet began to kneed into his shins in a cat-like fashion. It was a habit she developed as a kid to relieve the stress of feeling others' problems whenever she tried going to sleep. Soon, the two were napping as comfortably as they would in their own beds.

"YEEEEAHHH!" The two jumped awake at the sound of Mic's quirk ringing in their faces.

"Are you two trying to get expelled?" He laughed, "You guys better get up before the teacher comes back."

"I'm so sorry, Aizawa," Ginsui sputtered as she climbed out of his sleeping bag and wiped her drool off his scarf.

"Don't be," he shrugged. The two snoozers began to blush.

"What the hell is happening? Is this…romance I see budding?" Mic continued to jest.

"No," the two replied coldly.

"Riiiight, just wait until I tell Emi," Mic laughed loudly.


	5. His Fall

I needed to change the rating to M due to the content of this chapter. There isn't going to be a lot of it throughout the story, but to stay on the safe side, I'll indicate where in the story the…zest shows up so that readers can skip over it! Thanks for checking my story out!

Disclaimer: I don't own MHA/BnHA

* * *

Her Peace

_And when the lights start flashing like a photobooth  
And the stars exploding, we'll be fireproof_

_My youth, my youth is yours  
Trippin' on skies, sippin' waterfalls  
My youth, my youth is yours  
Runaway now and forevermore  
My youth, my youth is yours  
A truth so loud you can't ignore  
My youth, my youth, my youth  
My youth is yours_

_~Troye Sivan: Youth~_

* * *

It was the end of the heroine's third year. She never intended on making it this far. She was only searching for a way to help herself. She never wanted to help others, not after suffering the constant tugging of her sanity they caused. She never thought she would be surrounded by so many willing to help her cope, willing to help her learn, or even willing to help her conquer the curse inherited from her father. Yet, here she was feeling on top of the world and eager to dip her feet into the universe of professional heroism.

"Are you sure you want to take a separate direction?" Principal Nezu asked Mic.

Hizashi Yamada looked over at his best friends Shota Aizawa and Ginsui Fukukado before nodding his head. They had spent their entire school careers attached at the hips. The trio were inseparable, but they had to be more serious about their futures now.

"Hell yeah! Their goals are small potatoes compared to what I want to do. With explosive talent like mine, why waste it in the shadows with these two?!" Mic exclaimed, teasingly.

"Your dreams sound fascinating, now onto your friends. You will be apprenticing at the same agency, correct? Both with undercover roles? You two would make a decent team with the skills in hand-to-hand combat you've both developed and your quirks do seem appropriate for spy work…hmm…yes, I'll approve these applications as well. Ms. Fukukado please stay behind, your friends are dismissed."

Ginsui frowned. She knew what was coming next.

"You haven't had any other contact from him, have you?"

"No sir, I promised that I would report it if anything happened again. I never want what…happened… the last time to happen again."

"Nobody wants that. Have you told anyone of this nemesis you've acquired?"

"No sir, not even my cousin Emi or my uncle."

"Let's try to keep it that way, yes?"

"It's not that I don't mind keeping the secret, I just think it would be beneficial for me if I could at least tell my best friends. What if he targets them to get to me? What if—"

"We've already gone over these scenarios. We, as in the teachers and leaders of the Pro Hero agencies, all think it is best if you kept this between us."

"Fine, is there anything else?"

"Actually, yes. You should probably tell the factory you've been working at this whole time that you'll be starting a new job Monday. You know, it is customary for students to quit before enrolling here and to give a job more than a few days' notice. I'm sure they'll understand though."

"I've been procrastinating on leaving. It's been a little haven for me. I'll miss it."

"I completely understand! I really am sorry for all the hassle you've had to endure at this young age. You are going to make a great hero. I'm very proud of you and I know your father would be too. Please try to have fun Saturday night at the Graduation Formal."

"Thank you for everything, Principal Nezu," Gini replied before racing home.

She had quite a bit to discuss with Joke. She had every intention of telling Emi everything she had been forbidden to, but the goofy girl didn't give her a chance to be serious. Ginsui was hit with Outburst before she even fully walked in the door.

"I can't BELIEVE I'm going to get to see the inside of U.A.!" Emi squealed.

"It was sweet of Hizashi to invite you," Ginsui giggled.

"What about you? Has Shota finally confirmed whether or not he's taking you as his date?"

"Of course not. I don't think he plans on going."

"So, do you plan on going single then?"

"…I was just going to tag along with you and Hizashi as a third wheel to be honest."

"Oh, hell no!" Joke burst into laughter.

"That's mean, cuz," Gini whined.

"No one said you HAVE to go with that Eraserhead dweeb, go find another option."

"I could always skip the dance too, though."

"SKIP the only day in history you'll probably ever get to dress like a goddess? Are you freaking kidding me right now?! What is it that Shota always says…oh yeah…that's not very _rational_ is it?!"

"For fuck's sake, fine. If anyone asks me, I'll go with them. If not…I'll still go sheesh. Stop glaring at me like that," Gini sighed in defeat.

"Look, you already have the dress."

"I would hate for it to go to waste."

"See! There you go, being _rational_," Joke laughed as her cousin blushed.

"Stop it."

"But really, do you like him? You two have spent a lot more time together lately."

"He's a great friend and it's nice just feeling my own feelings whenever he uses that quirk of his on me. It's irreplaceable."

"That 'quirk' of his, you say? Is that code for something else?"

"Oh my gosh, Emi!" Gini laughed as her blush deepened.

The two spent the rest of the evening making sure their outfits were perfect for the upcoming Saturday.

* * *

~Last Friday of School~

The chitter-chatter of excitement from the students in 3A was nonstop; that was, until a tall, heavily muscled man from the 3B class swaggered in.

"Ahem, ahem," he announced his arrival. The dateless girls, like Midnight, ogled desperately at him. His only purpose had to be one of them.

Ginsui looked over at Mic who had been grinning at her the whole time.

_He's up to something_, Ginsui thought, _Oh no, it's me._

"Fukukado Ginsui?" He asked, nearing her desk.

"That's me," she squinted up at him, uncertainly. She didn't know this dude and his aura was screaming mischief. He looked over at Mic who nodded for him to continue.

"I heard that you're pretty chill and more interesting than the other chicks here. I thought I'd take a chance to see if you'd be willing to come to the formal with me?"

Ginsui's sunset eyes blinked in disgruntled surprise. She really should have expected Emi and Hizashi to plan something like this. How dare she not prepare herself?

"Okay, umm, well," she began to word her acceptance carefully.

"Sorry man, you're a little late. She's already going with me," Aizawa interrupted.

The guest frowned, but Ginsui could tell that he had been acting along with a script the entire time.

"I guess I was misinformed. No worries, though. Yo, Midnight…is it? Are you still single?" He asked over to Nemuri, who was beaming.

"I don't appreciate being a second pick, but I'll let it slide this time. Come here and I'll give you my number," she winked.

Ginsui patted Aizawa on the shoulder to get his attention back, he had already zoned out with the book he had been reading.

"Thanks for that. I wasn't looking forward to going with a stranger…"

"You were going to accept his invitation?" Shota asked, more shock in his voice than he intended.

"Emi and Hizashi told me I couldn't go with them and you never really brought it up until now, you poo."

"Whatever, let's get these plans over with so I can finish this chapter. Should I meet at your place the same time that Hizashi is getting Emi?"

Ginsui rolled her eyes before responding. "Yeah, that's fine."

"Great, see you at six tomorrow night," Aizawa replied and returned to the book.

"Thank you for taking me, ZaZa," Gini smiled as she made eye contact with Mic who was giving her a thumbs-up sign.

Aizawa didn't acknowledge her gratitude verbally, but he was genuinely looking forward to the "date." Neither Mic nor Silver could see the faint smile he hid behind the novel he had already finished reading hours ago and had only been using as a cover up to eavesdrop.

Ginsui Fukukado was glowing and it was all his fault. He just had to go and get her excited. That was his biggest fear and the reason he hadn't asked her sooner. He better not fuck it up.

* * *

~Saturday Night~

Emi's dad had already taken at least 200 pictures of the two girls he raised single-handedly most of their lives. He was so proud.

Joke was dressed in a canary yellow, floor length, strapless gown. The bottom flared into a mermaid train that cascaded in an icing-like fashion. The sunny hue matched her sea-green hair that was currently worn down in loose curls. Her style fit her personality to a T. Due to the vibrancy of her attire; Emi opted to leave off any accessory. She was the centerpiece after all.

Ginsui had on an emerald green, high collared, open-backed dress. The section from the waist up had crystal beading while the rest was pleated in a way that forced the ends of the gown to petal-out a few inches on the floor around her. Her hair was wrapped into a tight French Twist with a small strand curling free over her left ear. Since her hair was up, she decided to wear her matching birthstone earrings. They were dangling like chandeliers from her lobes and she could hear them jingle with every step she took.

A light tapping at the door marked the arrival of their dates.

"I remember the first time I heard that knock and those two goons came in. Three years later and my girls are finally going out with them. FINALLY A NIGHT YOU GUYS AREN'T HANGING OUT IN MY HOUSE OH MY GOD," Joke's dad celebrated as he opened the door.

Joke arranged herself in a jaw dropping pose while Gini checked her out. Mic was the first to enter with a giant whistle for the girl he was taking.

"Hell YEAH!" He cheered and tossed Emi into his arms. He was already headed to the door when her dad blocked the path.

"NOT until I get pictures. Ten years from now, they'll be pissed at me if I skipped this part," he explained before pushing them back in.

Hizashi was wearing a black tux with a yellow and white stripped bowtie over the standard white undershirt. His blonde hair was styled in his signature ponytail, but he left his sunglasses behind. Emi beamed at finally seeing his eyes unhidden.

Shota was also wearing a black tux. He had refused to wear any other color but black. It worked for the best though. The all-black attire highlighted the crystals in Ginsui's dress. His hair was combed out of his face and half of it was pulled into a small bun.

The pictures went by smoothly and quickly. Their uncle even managed to get a few with Shota smiling, much to the erasure user's dismay.

The couples window shopped on the way to the venue that was located within their school's grounds. One, was a black-tie restaurant that Ginsui always peeked in on her way to school. This was probably the last time she was going to do that now that she was graduating.

"It's so fancy," she sighed as they passed it.

"Maybe you'll find someone super rich to take you one day," Emi giggled.

"Maybe I'll get super rich and take _you_," Gini smiled back.

The dance was already in full swing by the time they made it. It wasn't as stiff as Joke and Silver imagined it would be. The two even shared a few dances with their partners before splitting off.

"Are you ready to go?" Aizawa asked Ginsui once Hizashi and Emi left to do their own thing.

"Yeah, I was about to ask you the same. I don't want to go home just yet though. Follow me," she replied and took one of his hands to lead him away.

Tonight was fun and whatever connection she had with him might disappear Monday when they start their first day at the agency.

"Where are we going?" Aizawa asked. He would never admit it, but he wasn't ready to take her home either.

"My most favorite place ever," she smiled, the grin reaching her twinkling eyes.

He smiled back with less reluctance than he wanted. He shouldn't entertain her like this. They were about to be in a professional environment. These types of feelings would be in the way. Speaking of feelings, she could pick up on those. He was wasting his time trying to remain stoic with that ability of hers.

The walk lasted about twenty minutes. Ginsui pulled him into a thickly wooded area. The center of the shrubs opened into a semi-circle meadow. A man-made waterfall trickled delicately over the stones in front of them.

"Do you have that bag with you?" Ginsui smiled.

"Always," he nodded and withdrew the sleeping bag from somewhere within his tux for them to sit on.

"ZaZa…there's something I've been needing to tell you," GiGi began.

* * *

******************** THIS IS IT, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED. GIGGITY*********************

Aizawa silenced her by erasing her quirk and pulling her into his lap. He wanted her to react based on her own feelings. Did she really want him this way or did she only think that she wanted it when she was being suffocated by his thoughts? Her cheeks turned pinker than the natural color of her eyes. He slowly leaned in for the kiss he'd wanted since that day at the bus stop.

She met him half way, confirming that her wants were her own. He blinked and neither could fight back their needs. His emotional exposure ripped at her every sense. She breathed in his lust as she tugged his hair.

Her eyes transformed into a green that put the surrounding trees to shame. It was the color of envy and it matched the desires dominating Shota's nerves. Her body was reacting to that and he fed on it. The color mirrored the folds of her dress that he was already pulling down over her shoulders.

Her fingers carefully traced his jaw, throat, and landed on the buttons of his jacket. Minutes later, his hands were firmly gripping her bottom as she slowly lowered herself onto him.

She and Emi had talked about what position would be the best to lose their virginity to ever since they were pre-teens. They had prepared for this for so long and agreed that being on top would be the less intense because they would have the control. They could alleviate the pain and fear this way.

Gini's thighs trembled as her nervousness took over. Shota rubbed his fingertips along each of her spine's vertebrae to soother her anxiety. Her hips rolled like waves hitting an ocean shore. She was flowing along with him in a sync that a virgin shouldn't know. It came naturally for them.

* * *

****IT'S SAFE AGAIN YALL******

Soon, they were both panting and inside the sleeping bag. Aizawa glanced at his phone and grimaced.

"How pissed is your uncle going to be if you're two hours late?"

"Since it's the first time I've ever done anything that involves a curfew, I have no idea."

The two quickly redressed, but knew that their messy hair and glossy eyes were going to give them away to anyone that had an ounce of common sense.

Ginsui quickly unlocked the apartment door and found her uncle asleep on the couch. She sighed in relief.

"See you at work Monday," Aizawa waved goodbye. Ginsui blushed and closed the door behind him. Monday. Work. She was going to see him Monday at their place of employment. Uh oh.

"I don't know how to feel about all this. It's just so overwhelming. I want to be mad, but I can't because I was way worse at a younger age. Shit, what do I do," her uncle said, scaring the calm right out of his niece.

"Oh, you thought I was asleep. Hahahahaa I couldn't handle looking at that kid knowing what he could have done to you. Also, Emi ain't here yet, so kudos for you not being the latest. Hope you guys were…ahem…safe. Anyway, night Gini."

"Goodnight," she whispered breathlessly.

For the first time in nearly thirteen years, Ginsui had a full night of uninterrupted sleep.


	6. Her Failure

This is part 1 for the last chapter before I do the skip, so it's going to be a little long. I hope you guys like it! OH AND I'm a big fan of the Dabi is Tōya theory, so I'm using it for my plot purposes.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything with MHA

* * *

Her Peace

Ginsui Fukukado had spent her time since graduation working for different city police forces throughout Japan. She not only specialized in rescue due to her ability to find anyone in the midst of danger, but was also particularly useful at soothing the mental wounds survivors faced.

Although she and Aizawa differed in specialties, they found themselves working together in various tragedies where he spent his time capturing and restraining enemies while she helped their victims. She laughed inwardly thinking about how she had dreaded their first day on the job together years ago. He hadn't acted awkwardly like she had feared; however, he was more indifferent than she had hoped. She didn't want to overthink it, so she let what she thought was a boiling romance cool to a simmer. She blamed it on his professionalism and nothing more.

She shared an apartment with her cousin, Emi, but she rarely spent time there. Thanks to her closeness with her second best _friend_, she found herself spending most nights at the Erasure Hero's home. It was strictly for convenience and they rarely saw each other at the same time there. She would deny it if asked, but she wasn't pleased with how platonic things were. Nevertheless, she kept those feelings buried underneath the thousands she felt from others.

Her work involved a lot of social work. As a result, children could be seen in Shota's apartment weekly. Whenever he was home, he didn't mind their presence. He enjoyed watching her provide a loving and safe environment for them until they were secured in the foster system. He enjoyed the concern and time she spent buying them clothes that they wanted, food that they loved, and he never looked away at the magic she provided when she used her quirk to make them happier. He enjoyed watching her sunset eyes turn to different shades of yellow depending on how strong she needed to fix the chemical balance of the depressed ones.

He would deny it if asked, but he wasn't pleased with how platonic he had made things. He just didn't know how to take the next step without ruining what was already a stable _friendship_. Every day he planned on taking things to a higher level, but there was never a right moment.

Lately, he noticed Gini straining to sleep. Fatigue was beginning to set in. How could it not when she had to fix everyone else's heart problems for over three years now? He watched her currently as their team was addressed by their captain; all the while twirling a small box in his right pocket.

"It's been three years now. You've done remarkably well compared to your fellow officers and the senior detectives as well. As a result, I think it's time for a promotion. I would like to offer you our biggest case this year. Your talents are best suited for this particular job," Detective Tsukauchi happily greeted the police force's Silver Sorceress.

Aizawa's stomach dropped. He missed his chance at speaking with her first. He was going to see if she would take a break from active duty and work along doctors by diagnosing mental disorders and healing them. He knew she would have thought about it. The rise in medication addiction was getting bad and patients wouldn't need it if she fixed the imbalances directly. But no, their boss just had to go and offer her a once in a lifetime chance at proving herself.

"What do you say? Will you be our lead investigator into the Todoroki family?" Detective Tsukauchi asked Ginsui.

"I've always wanted to meet Endeavor in person! Absolutely, I'll take!" Ginsui exclaimed. She couldn't wait to prove his innocence from the abusive charges he was possibly facing. She may have been tired, but that was nothing compared to making a name for herself.

Aizawa frowned from behind his large scarf. GiGi may have been wearing a bright smile, but the blue circles under her eyes couldn't deceive him. Detective Tsukauchi pulled him aside after Ginsui left with the documents regarding the case.

"Eraser, I'm making you second in command for this mission. If things get out of hand, you're going to be her best option. I didn't want to say anything to her directly to dampen her confidence, but in all seriousness, I have a very bad feeling about this case."

"Got it," he replied shortly before reviewing his current assignments.

He thumbed the small box in his pocket again. He had made the purchase the morning after their graduation formal. He saw it while the four friends window shopped and was afraid that he may not find anything as perfect. It took him over a year to pay it off, but he knew it would be worth it one day. The only other person that knew of the purchase was Hizashi.

He opened the box to look at the ring held delicately within it. The flawlessly round opal revealed flecks of tangerine and light pink tinges of color whenever the light hit it. It captured the sunset of her eyes and sprinkled it onto a blank canvas. The precious stone was set in a rose gold band with tiny diamonds forming a halo around it.

He sighed before closing the box and tucking it back into his pocket. There will be a right time to move forward. He just needed to remain patient.

* * *

Ginsui's brow frowned in concentration. She was reading over the notes associated with the Todoroki family. She started with the assumption that Rei, the mother of the household, had experienced a mental breakdown due to the stress of having four kids. Now, she was starting to think that there was something worse that pushed the woman into her mental decline.

Gini was not a fan of quirk-related marriages. She loathed them. Her father specifically sought out a relationship with someone that was quirkless because of his fear of passing on his own. He went all the way to America for love that had been built on deceit. What her mother hadn't disclosed when they were dating was that she did have a quirk. She could enhance the abilities of anyone she touched. In other words, she ended up powering-up her husband's abilities and inevitably doomed her own kid. Her mother couldn't live with herself after she witnessed the aftermath of her deceptiveness. Now, Ginsui was parentless and struggling to take life each day at a time.

She thought that her life was bad off until she read over the files. She couldn't believe that a supposedly noble hero would think that his arranged marriage was okay. Fire and Ice? The polar opposite elements were meant to breed dramatically dangerous outcomes. They just weren't compatible. Her glee at meeting him started to wane with each description of his children she read.

1\. Tōya: Age 14- unspecified fire quirk, susceptible to own flames due to mother's genetics

2\. Fuyumi: Age 13- unspecified ice quirk, can't handle heat very well

3\. Natsuo: Age 9- unspecified quirk, uncomfortable in warm weather

4\. Shōto: Age 5- Half-Cold Half-Hot, susceptible to frostbite but seems to have the ability to regulate temperature.

Why was there so much information on the youngest? Did Enji deem the older three useless? How could their quirks be dismissed so quickly? These were things she would have to uncover. He heart started to harden. She had to keep an open mind to be successful.

"Are you sure about this?" Aizawa asked his partner as she double checked the cameras and microphones she would need to hide throughout the Todoroki household.

"It's going to be fine. Besides, you'll be there if things get wild," she smiled reassuringly. He nodded before leaving her alone.

Any confidence she had vanished the second she walked into the beautiful home. The mental state of the four children was atrocious. She held back a gasp as their fear, worry, and depression swallowed her whole.

"Hey, my name's Gini. I'll be staying here for the week to help you all out until your dad finds a suitable nanny," she smiled. Her eyes turned a pale shade of yellow as she emitted a push of joy to cleanse the room.

She could tell the effects were already making a positive change. Their moods lightened at the possibility of having a stranger with them. Their father wouldn't act brash with her around. He wouldn't want to damage his image. The daughter, Fuyumi, led her to the room she would be staying.

"She kind of looks like mom," Natsuo whispered to Tōya.

"They have the same hair and that's it. Don't go getting attached," the eldest Todoroki whispered back.

Endeavor had yet to welcome her. She could hear the slamming of weights from him working out, so she knew he was home.

She took her time with setting up while the children played. She noticed the oldest, Tōya, would look up at her bedroom window whenever he thought she wasn't paying them attention. It was hard not to notice his bright red hair moving around. His feelings made her blush. He was only a year younger than Aizawa when he had first felt the same. _Teenagers_ she giggled inwardly.

The more she moved about the house, the closer he got. Whether it was out of a sense of protection or something else, he seemed to hover around her more. He was like her shadow.

The poor boy was thirsty for pleasant company. He must have suffered the worst of his father's indignation.

"So, you're staying the entire week?" He finally perked up as she looked for ingredients to start a meal.

"Yep. Today through Sunday," she smiled.

"What about your family? Won't they miss you?" He continued to push through his shyness.

"Nah, they're busy. My family is a lot smaller than yours. I only have my cousin and her dad."

"Are they pro heroes? If so, would I know them?"

Ginsui pondered the question. She couldn't give specifics like that out, because it could give her own hero identity away. That would be devastating.

"They do hero stuff, sure. Do you have any favorites?" She asked, trying to divert his interest with her.

"Not really…if your family is so small, do you make it bigger with friends…or like a boyfriend or something?" He trailed clumsily.

She blushed. Of course he would be interested in those things what with him being pubescent and all. She wasn't sure what to do.

"Oh…well…sorta…he was like one…one day…sorta…." She died a little on the inside knowing that the man she was talking about was listening in. She waited for a smart-ass reply from the hidden earbuds, but it never came.

"What's he like?" He continued, seemingly oblivious to her uncertainty.

This was the first time any of the children she had met had been interested in her. They usually didn't get more than a few hours and she mainly focused on getting them well dressed and fed. This one must have a real crush. It was adorable, so she decided to answer him enthusiastically.

Soon, he became less anxious and more animated. The fresh attitude influenced his younger siblings. All four were now in the kitchen with their temporary caretaker.

Ginsui turned on some music while she, Fuyumi, and Shōto prepped the meal. The kids weren't very familiar with American music, but they seemed to enjoy what she played anyway. She picked up the "singing" five year old who had been dancing on her feet. She was spinning him around to the song "Hey Ya" when one of the lyrics caught his attention.

"What's colder than being cold" Andre 3000 yelled again. Shōto copied the response and yelled out "ICE COLD." He was so tickled at understanding the words, that he accidentally blasted a wave of ice, freezing half of himself, Ginsui, and Fuyumi onto the counters beside them.

Tōya and Natsuo rolled with laughter as the girls coaxed the littlest into freeing them. Gini could hear Aizawa snicker, the first sound he made the entire day. She wished she had left the earbuds home.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Endeavor bellowed irritably, his flaming facial hair freshly alit.

"Oh! Mr. Todoroki! You finally took a break. The food's almost ready," she feigned a smile. She couldn't risk manipulating him. He would notice her eye's changing. She had to try to calm him by simply being kind.

"Are you the new caretaker?" He asked as he filled his plate.

"I'm only a fill in until you find one from the list I have on the fridge for you to review."

"I see," he squinted his turquoise eyes.

The meal was eaten quickly and in silence. Gini wanted to speak. She, Joke, ZaZa, and Hizashi never had a quiet meal. She copied the mannerisms of those around her though. The less attention she brought on herself, the better it would be.

The next few days were relatively the same. The children became comfortable with her presence and started to let their walls down. Her time was limited, so she took advantage of the new relationships to confirm whether or not Enji was an abuser.

She started with Fuyumi. She was thirteen which was a very impressionable age. This was when a mother was needed the most.

"How are you doing without your mother around?" She began.

"It's been…weird. There's less tension, so that's nice. There's not much communication with my father. He seems to only worry about Shōto since he's the only one that dad sees potential in."

"Do you think he pushes him too hard? He's only five, right?"

Fuyumi looked around timidly before replying. Her voice was barely audible.

"Momma says so. She tried to get him to take it easy the day she snapped. Father never listens to her. Shōto took it personally. Now, he rarely uses his hot side and it's making our dad even angrier. I feel so useless. If I try to get in the way, I would only make things worse."

"I understand. I'm sorry for the lifestyle you've had to live. For what it's worth, I see potential in all of you. You're very motherly. I bet you'll be an excellent teacher one day! I'm going to go check on them now. They've been training for over an hour now and he's still so young," Gini sighed and left the young girl behind.

Ginsui knocked on the door to the exercise room, but was ignored. There were cameras set up in there, so she wasn't too worried about missing moments that would incriminate the man she was spying on.

"Mr. Todoroki?" She asked as she made her way into the middle of his outburst.

"How many times do I have to tell you to use your left side?" Endeavor yelled.

"Kids respond better with positive reinforcement; at least that is what I learned from other places. You may discourage him if you put too much emphasis on something he isn't yet comfortable with," she interrupted.

She knew she was about to get it, but she wanted the negative energy directed at her instead of the little Kindergartner sobbing beside her.

Endeavor hesitated. He was taken aback by her sudden disapproval. Who did she think she was barging in here? She was worse than Rei.

_Rei_

"Who did you say you work for again?" He asked too calmly.

This was not good. He was acting too calculated. He was analyzing the situation carefully. Anything she did or say would be under strict scrutiny. She was running out of time.

"The Sitters Studio, the agency whose list I gave you. I come in and check out the environment to assess which of our caregivers would be best suited for each home," she answered. She had recited the line so many times to make sure that there were no holes in her alibi.

"Right…please take Shōto with you. I've got a few things I need to finish up here before going to work today."

Ginsui nodded. Fuyumi and Natsuo were pacing outside the room while Tōya leaned against the opposite wall.

"I've never seen dad act so…normal," Natsuo spoke up now that the air of danger had dissipated. The others agreed.

Friday was just around the corner. She just had to keep her cover two more days.

Every night she longed to disengage and talk to Aizawa. She knew he could hear and see whatever was happening around her. It was reassuring, but she still wished she could _talk_ about the findings.

She was getting more exhausted with each passing night. Jumbling and managing the feelings of two teens and two kiddos was a challenge in itself, especially when she could only do it when their father wasn't hanging about. The constant need to refresh the cheery vibes in the home was taking its toll. The children bloomed in his absence though. It made it all worth it.

"Ms. Gini. I've been thinking about changing my image. Do you think you can help?" Tōya asked that Saturday morning after breakfast.

"Sure! What did you have in mind?" Ginsui agreed.

"I've been told that I favor my father. I'd like to fix that."

"I see," she smiled nervously.

Within the hour, she had all four Todoroki's out the door and enjoying Musutafu*.

"Dad's going to kill you," Natsuo gasped.

"Not while she's here," Tōya smirked in the salon mirror.

His hair was now a dusty black. It made his bright blue eyes stand out.

"Did you choose that color because Ms. Gini mentioned that her 'friend' has black hair?" Fuyumi teased, recalling a conversation Ginsui had with them about Aizawa at some point during her stay.

Tōya smirked again, "Maybe," he said and winked at their temporary nanny.

Ginsui blinked in surprise. He was getting bolder each day, but she wasn't about to stop his growth. She wanted him to keep that attitude well after she was gone. It could save his family in the end.

"What next Tōya," she laughed.

"I'm thinking a few piercings will be enough to finish my mission," he suggested.

"Sounds like a great plan," she agreed.

"What? That sounds like the worst plan that has ever been planned," Fuyumi whined.

Shōto was the only one that didn't say a single word the entire trip. He didn't fully understand what was happening, but he didn't care. He was having fun and that was all that mattered. He thought he would never stop smiling. But then, they came home.

* * *

Shota Aizawa was trying not to panic as he watched Endeavor pick apart each room of the house. The Hellflame hero had already found most of the cameras.

Aizawa already had backup notified if things fell apart.

_No_, he thought, _not _**if**_ but _**when**.

"Listen up, Gigi," Aizawa's voice tickled her eardrums as she unpacked the car from her trip.

Her heart sank. She knew what was to come.

"_You_," Endeavor hissed as soon as she walked in.

"Tōya, please take your siblings outside to play," Ginsui asked.

Her number one priority was to make sure the kids were safe. That was her only reason for being here in the first place. The eldest Todoroki nodded and led them away. Endeavor's amber flames licked his ears.

"Explain," he demanded as he snatched the earbuds from her ears and crushed them.

The severed connection made her nervous. She had three years of experience under her belt. She could do this.

"Rei's hospitalization raised red flags with the nursing staff. When that happens, the police are notified and they arrange special agents to investigate. Here I am to determine if you are responsible for child endangerme—"

She was cut off as her eyes turned a cloudy grey. It was the color of tranquility. She used it on enemies to soothe their anger. Enji wasn't a low class villain. He wasn't just quick on his feet, but quick witted as well. The second she tried to use her quirk, he grabbed her throat and slung her through the nearby coffee table.

"Don't you fucking look at me with those grey eyes, Rei!" He raged in a state of delusion.

She wouldn't be able to use her quirk at this rate. She would have to rely on the combat skills she developed. She quickly grabbed two of the broken legs from the stainless steel table and held them up with the jagged edges raised as if they were tantōs.

Before she could act, a flash of black hair and blue flame sped past her. Tōya tackled his much larger father to the ground in a heap of fire. The vividly blue flames whipped the furniture around them, quickly starting a small fire. Ginsui could hear the other children crying out in fear.

She left the two flame users behind as she took off to the three small children. She needed to get them to safety before the situation could get any worse.

"Everything's going to be okay. I'm here," she said with such determination, that their worries vanished. The sound of an ambulance and fire trucks rang in the smokey air.

"Fuyumi, lead them to the sirens. I need to make sure your brother is okay. You're so brave and I believe in you," she advised.

Fuyumi nodded her head and snatched her younger brothers away.

"Tōya!" Ginsui called, but received no response. "Tōya!" She tried again and again.

Endeavor sat in a pile of ash, his fiery fire still burning.

"Where is he?!" She screamed, fearing the worst. She was struggling to pinpoint his location due to the amount of regret radiating from the man kneeling before her.

"They're in here!" Fuyumi cried out as Aizawa and other police bombarded the area.

His quirk annihilated the Hellflame user, but it wasn't needed. Enji allowed himself to be wrapped up in the scarf. He continued to stare at the ground in shock.

Ginsui scanned the room for the fourteen year old that stepped in. She finally located him, unconscious nearby.

"No," she gasped, "no no no no no no no," her own panic rose in her throat.

"Tōya, wake up," she cried, shaking him. She fought through his despair, pain, and agony. She desperately thought of all the happy things she could so that she could make his dying moments a feeling of bliss and serenity. It never came. No matter how hard she tried to force the peacefulness within him, she couldn't sense that he received it.

She sat there, cradling a dying boy. A dying boy that only knew pain, anguish, and hopelessness.

The fire was put out. The remaining children were examined and freed. They all watched as the only sound interrupting the silent afternoon was Ginsui's shrill crying.

"Ginsui, it's time to let him go," Aizawa called out to her.

"I failed," she sobbed.

"You came here to prove that Enji provided an unstable life for Rei and her kids and you did that."

"I came here to protect them and I failed. The only thing I can do is to make them feel happy. To make them feel like life is going to be okay. I couldn't do it. I felt his agony, his hate, and I wasn't fast enough to change that. I failed."

"GiGi,"

"I FAILED!" she screamed over and over and over until the sobbing blurred her words.

"I'm sorry," Enji finally spoke up.

The other three Todorokis looked in awe. Their father had never apologized for anything. He was trapped on his knees, wrapped like a cocoon, and saying he was sorry.

Shōto would never forget this day: the day that he lost an older brother, the day that he lost the best nanny he would ever know, and the day that his father showed meekness.

* * *

* Musutafu is the name of the city listed in the WiKi for where the Todoroki's live.


	7. Her Revival

I'm soooo sorry it took so long! This is officially the last chapter until the time-skip ahead. Kid Overhaul is introduced here! I can't wait to start writing about the current 1A students ^.^ Thanks for all the patience! I also want to note that like in the manga/anime, the story gets darker so mine will be doing that too. I hope that doesn't discourage any readers. Please review if you liked it, or didn't! Let me know what to improve on or what you may want to read more of!

* * *

Her Peace

Tōya awoke to the smell of char and the shrill sounds of sirens ringing. Parts of his face, neck, arms, and legs burned savagely. He blinked in concern. His last memory was that of Gini's bright eyes changing into a strange shade of rosé. He had felt so peaceful, so calm and free. At the time, he didn't understand why she had been crying so hard. Didn't she know that whatever she was doing was working? Oh, how he wished those feelings of bliss would return now that his flesh scorched in agony.

"I see that you're finally awake. Remain calm, I'll get the pain down for you soon," a strangely familiar voice echoed in the ambulance.

Tōya chanced a glance up and was surprised to the quirk doctor. He was one of the more popular doctors that children would visit to verify if they have a quirk and the possibilities of them. The young teen grimaced in pain as he laid his head back down.

"You have two options. I can report your survival to your family, or I can remain silent and let you choose another way of life," the doctor spoke up again as the morphine swam through the eldest Todoroki's veins.

"I don't ever want to go back to that hell."

"I understand. In that case, you should come up with a new name."

"Like a phoenix, I have been remade from ashes. 'Dabi' works," the boy replied as his pain eased away.

"If you don't mind me saying this… 'Dabi' does have a villainous ring to it. Are you suggesting going in that direction?" The doctor pried.

"We'll see," the bandaged kid carefully replied.

* * *

~3 weeks later~

_Where was his bag?_

Aizawa had been searching for his sleeping bag for almost a month now. He huffed irritably as his phone rang.

"What's up, Joke?" He asked hastily. He simply wanted Ginsui to return his calls and texts, but he got stuck with her cousin's persistent pestering instead.

"I know, I know, you can't get enough of my delightful teases, but I really need to talk to you."

"Is it about Ginsui?" He replied after a minute of silence.

"Yeah. Her... depression is getting worse. She's been sitting on the couch in front of the TV for the last three days now. I can't even remember the last time she took a shower. Also…"

"…Also?" Aizawa pressed her to continue, assuming the worst.

"She looks like a burrito in your sleeping bag," Ms. Joke barked with laughter.

"On my way," he hung up before Joke's giggling could irritate him.

Ginsui ignored the harsh tapping on the apartment door long enough that Shouta Aizawa opted to kick it in. She didn't even blink as the door whizzed past her head and into the balcony's glass one. Aizawa quietly observed her.

Her eyes were red and glossy from tears and lack of sleep. Her hair smelled of oil and dander. His poor, poor bag was soaked in sweat. He walked behind the couch to see what had her so zoned and oblivious to her own filth.

Even though it had been several weeks since the incident, the major news stations still aired Endeavor's interview of the "accident" that took place at his home. Police opted to keep the truth hidden due to the man's reputation of being the number two Pro-Hero. They made up a cover and used the Hellfire user as the hero that saved his home from the fire started by his oldest son's uncontrolled quirk.

Aizawa, as careless as his attitude was that day, wasn't going to let his childhood friend and closest ally sink any further. He walked towards the TV, picked it up, and tossed it through the gaping hole to the balcony that he had made moments before.

"Do you remember that restaurant we walked past in school?"

Ginsui, tears already raining down her face, nodded.

"I made reservations there. Get ready and I'll be back in a few hours. Got it?" Her soft sobs worsened into heaves.

"I'll take care of it," Joke announced her hidden presence from the hallway.

"Thanks," the mentally drained man sighed.

He grabbed the bottom of his favorite sleeping bag and began shaking Gini out of it. Joke laughed hysterically as her cousin flung from the bag like a caterpillar from its cocoon.

"It's fine. Everything is going to be fine," Aizawa sighed. He said it more for his own sanity than for the girls with him. He sighed again before heading out.

"Gini. You can't let Endeavor win. You are the master of your own soul. Please, please don't let that monster destroy the person you are," Joke softly spoke up. It was a rarity to hear her speak calmly.

Ginsui blinked around, as if waking from a long hibernation. Her face wrinkled in disgust.

"I can't believe you told him to come here! I smell like garbage! Worse! I _look_ like garbage!" She choked hoarsely. She could barely recognize her own voice due to its lack of use.

"Well, you got two hours to refresh his memory on the old you. Can you imagine if his lasting impression of you is THIS?" Emi laughed as she motioned to the full length mirror nearby.

Aizawa fumbled with the box tucked away in his navy suit pants pocket. Was this the day he'd finally get that secret off his chest?

"He's here!" Joke alerted Gini.

Ginsui sighed in worry. The makeup couldn't hide the circles printed under her eyes. At least she was clean…and if anyone skipped over her face, she'd even be considered pretty. The short-sleeved sequined, coral, thigh-length dress twirled effortlessly as she walked to answer the door.

Fortunately, Aizawa spared her any conversation on their way to the reservation. He carefully tucked a loose strand of her silver hair behind her right ear before holding the door to the restaurant. He smirked as Ginsui's eyes twinkled with fresh life as they entered the ritzy atmosphere.

"You didn't have to do this," she smiled sheepishly.

He shrugged in response. The weight of the small box doubled. He soaked the next few minutes in. The last time they had been alone together without work involved was their last day of school years ago. He had forgotten how much he loved the tangy smell that her citrus shampoo and mango lotion made. He had forgotten how much he loved her light chuckles that would accidentally lift the mood in the air. He had forgotten how truly sweet she could be when it was just them; no stress, no work, no worries. He had forgotten how much he needed her.

Time trickled by as the meal progressed. Gini took one last look around. She was so exhausted.

"Ready, ZaZa?" She politely asked.

"Sure," he replied halfheartedly. He unconsciously patted his pocket. This didn't feel like the right time to pop the question. He wasn't sure where the pang of disappointment came from, but he knew he didn't want to say goodbye yet.

The ride back seemed like it was going to be held in silence until he finally broke it.

"Uhm... so, when do you plan on coming back to work?"

"I'll probably turn in my notice Monday. I think I'm going to go back to the factory," she replied as she rested her head on his shoulder. She could feel the tension.

Aizawa frowned. The job she was planning on going back to was a dead-end one. Ginsui didn't want to feel his disappointment.

"Or, I may take Midnight up on her offer. She said she has something available that I could do until I get out of my slump."

"Sounds… dangerous," he replied. He wasn't sure if he'd rather her go back to a factory or do something ill-advised by a crazy lady.

Gini belly-laughed for the first time in weeks. "I'm sure it's harmless!"

"If you say so," he mumbled.

Aizawa hugged her goodbye and kissed the top of her head before she walked towards the apartment building. She was juggling her left over food and her purse to find her keys when she noticed a boy staring at her. He was a good ten years younger, but his thoughts were decades older. It was eerie.

"Do you live here too?" She asked, trying to dismiss the negative feelings. He couldn't have been older than ten. Who was she to let a kid make her nervous?

He shook his head, his eyes never leaving her boxed food. He had chestnut hair, golden eyes, and a white medical mask on. Did he have a quirk that caused physical change that he didn't want people to see? Was he actually sick? Whatever the reasoning, the mask made him even creepier.

"Are you hungry?" She voiced as she handed the food over to him. She didn't even notice how close he had gotten.

"For more than food, yes," he said cooly.

So she hadn't misread his aura. What the hell kind of ten year old thinks so…so _nasty_? She had handled kids of all ages, of all personalities. None have ever made her this uncomfortable. She'd be damned if this punk got the better of her.

"You found a good one, Chisaki," a man in his early thirties acknowledged from behind her.

She recognized the masks now. He was part of the dwindling Shie Hassaikai. Ginsui laughed unintentionally. She had been stuck in her home for three weeks and the first time she got out, she was prey. Good grief she had some shitty luck.

"Well, anyway, I'm just gonna go inside now…" she trailed as she rang for her cousin to open the main door to the building.

The older man slapped the food from her hands and grabbed her left wrist, slamming it into the textured brick. Seconds later, blood splattered onto her, the wall behind her, and any surface within a few feet around her. Her figure remained frozen in place as her eyes widened in surprise. It took her a few minutes to realize what had even happened.

The boy, Chisaki, was putting a glove back on when he snatched her attention back to him.

"Did you just…did you do that? Did you turn that man into…nothing?" She trembled, forcing her voice to remain steady.

"I saved you. Now you owe me a favor. I think you as a pet would suffice," the kid stated dryly, "I don't usually like people. They sicken me. They're disgusting and filthy. But for some reason, I feel pulled to you. A quirk of yours perhaps? Do you charm others into liking you? I could use that," he continued with his strange rambling.

"I could if I wanted to; however, I'm not using it now and I haven't in nearly a month. None of that matters really," Ginsui replied with her own rambling.

"I like this color," the kid replied, pulling at the hem of her dress and ignoring her stutters. His fingers carefully brushed her inner thigh before she slapped him.

His eyes bulged in surprise. He wasn't used to people hitting him. She witnessed what he could do first hand and she had the gall to hurt him. Did she not understand that he could turn her into a bloody mist too?

"You belong to the Shie Hassaikai, right? Take me to your boss. He needs to teach you some goddamn manners," she spat. Any fear she had was gone. She was too pissed to be afraid.

He laughed, "Like I would take you to our hideout."

"Fine," she frowned as she pulled out her phone and punched in a number her father told her to only use as a last case safety measure.

"Yes, I know it's been awhile Great Uncle. Yeah, I'm okay. No, none of the heroes know of our relationship. Yes, Emi's good too. She's more than good, she's great and just as obnoxious as her dad. No, I'm not calling for money. I told you I don't want anything left behind from dad's mom. Again, Emi and I don't want any of her inheritance; that money is tainted crime goods and our dads kept us away for that very reason. Will you please stop asking so many questions? I'm calling you because one of your kid recruits just murdered a guy and then felt me up! He's like ten! What the hell are you teaching them these days?!" Ginsui ended the long winded catch-up conversation.

What her friends didn't know, was that she and Emi were distantly related to the boss of the Shie Hassaikai. Their fathers were the first to leave the crime family in hopes of a better lifestyle. It was probably one of the reasons All for One had any information on her and her dad.

Kai Chisaki stared at the woman. Of all the people he could have found enticing, it would be the only one related to his boss. It was hard to eavesdrop when he could only hear her part of the conversation.

"Oh, wait, please don't do that. I'm sure it was harmless. Well, yeah the guy he killed called him Chisaki."

Chisaki held his breath. Great, what was the boss going to do now?

Ginsui went silent for a few minutes as her Great Uncle informed her of the situation she found herself in.

"He has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He's a germaphobe, but that's the least of his issues. His obsession can range from goals down to people. Listen, kid, if you are or have something he wants, then you're in trouble. His obsessiveness knows no limits. I'll do my best to keep him away, but always keep one eye open when you sleep, you got it?"

"Yeah, okay."

"I sent one of my men to your location the second I saw your number. Would you like to come along? There's quite a few family left that would love to see you?"

"I'm sorry, but I'd rather not visit. Shit, oh I see him pulling up now. Thank you. No, you shouldn't expect to hear from me again. Okay, bye bye," Gini moaned as she hung up. A sleek, black limo pulled up to the curb she and the kid were standing by.

"I meant what I said. You will be mine. You owe me," the kid shrugged and rubbed the sting on his face that was still burning.

"You're going to be one hell of a weirdo when you grow up, aren't you?" Ginsui rolled her eyes. His aura had changed from menace to embarrassed ever since she had popped him. She couldn't take him seriously after that. He was just a kid after all.

Joke thought it was strange that Ginsui had rung the bell asking her to let her in, instead of coming up herself. The peppy woman knew something was wrong and kept her small handgun aimed at the kid from her balcony. She didn't relax until Gini was back safely inside. Who was that odd child? Why did he make her feel so gross? It wasn't long before the two young women let the weird events go and talked about the date instead.

"Sooooo, are you two ever going to be official?" Emi laughed after taking a sip of her second glass of wine.

"Don't start," Gini laughed back.

* * *

~1 week later~

Ginsui should have listened to Aizawa. She was thinking about his warning regarding her working for Midnight. Why didn't she just go back to the factory?

"I said to trust me!" Midnight smiled devilishly as Gini blinked in utter disgust.

"Look, there's supposed to be a drug bust at the club today. I need help working undercover and stripping is the best way to solicit information!"

"I can't believe I agreed to this," the Silver Sorceress moaned as she adorned herself in her old high school costume.

"It's almost perfect. It only needs a little alterations…" Midnight trailed off before cutting the legs and sleeves off the costume.

"I'm so exposed!" Gini whined. Midnight's joy radiated the room. The more Gini focused on it, the less anxious she felt. She would need the confidence if this undercover job was going to work.

"Have you heard from Gini yet?" Joke asked Aizawa. The two worked in different agencies, but were starting to team up more now that Ginsui had left the field.

"Not since our date," the raven haired man answered.

"So it was a date!"

Aizawa rolled his eyes irritably. Why did he have to be stuck with this woman?

"Midnight said she was working with her tonight when I talked to her yesterday. Do you know what that means?"

"No, but I'm betting that you do."

"That frown is about to be upside down! Midnight has been working undercover at the new club. She gets most of her intel about the local gangs from there."

Joke waited for the realization to hit her new partner.

"And?" He asked in his usual bored tone.

"AND?! Don't you know where I'm going with this?"

"We've been to clubs before, Ms. Joke. I don't know what the big deal is."

Emi smiled wickedly. They had been to many clubs, sure. They were all the standard drinking and dancing type. They had never been to a _strip _club though. If he couldn't take the hint, then he would have be hit with the surprise. She tried.

His mouth popped open once they entered the building. It was 1 A.M. and to say that the club was packed was an understatement. Ms. Joke casually walked behind the bar, taking up her false identity as the new bartender. Aizawa was told to be a patron, but he hadn't connected the dots to know what exactly that meant.

He chose a spot closer to the stage. The nearer, the better. The bigger crime lords would be found there. He listened in on a few to his left. They were talking about a cocaine-like substance that would enhance quirks up to 90% for two hours. One was handing a case designed for earbuds over to the guy purchasing it.

Aizawa pressed a hidden button near the collar of his shirt. The police would be here soon and he had at least two that would be arrested. He tilted his head around and saw three others sniffing the substance at a corner table.

Midnight took the center stage with a gold-plated microphone. This was the cue that the police were less than 10 minutes away. The onlookers cheered as she did a little dance before making an announcement.

"We have a new dancer!"

More cheers pierced the air. Aizawa's heart dropped.

"She's tall, curvy in all the right ways, and has hair as silver as the moon. Give a big welcome to the newbie, Kinky KiKi!"

The club couldn't be louder once Ginsui appeared. Her eyes turned into a deep green. The last time he saw those was when he had been intimate with her. The envious nature of the patrons in the room multiplied. She had raked in at least three grand and all she did was slowly dip into a split that even the most basic strippers knew.

He lifted a wad of cash and motioned to Midnight.

"A private dance you say? Absolutely," She smiled dangerously as she returned to the stage. She took over for Ginsui.

There was a slight hesitation from the new "stripper." She didn't want to blow her cover, so she reluctantly went to the patron Midnight had pointed out to her.

She ever slowly and seductively reached her hand out to take his. She led him to a back room before slamming the door behind them.

"Oh thank GOD you're here! You have no idea how badly I needed a way off that freaking stage. I'll still have a little dignity left," Ginsui smiled before pulling Aizawa down into a bear hug.

"What do you think you're doing? I paid for a dance," he snickered before pushing her away and sitting down in a plush chair. He lifted his left hand and motioned for her to come over.

-slight smut-

The red in her cheeks could be seen from behind her silver masquerade mask. She swayed her hips closer, turned, and then carefully lowered herself onto him. She had practiced this position with Midnight the night before so that she wouldn't look like a fool and blow their covers. Her silver-clad ass grinded on him. He brushed her hair away from her neck and leaned in to breathe her in. He grabbed her waist and quickly turned her around so that she faced him.

-zest over-

Their lips were millimeters apart. Aizawa slowly pulled out a tiny black box when the sounds of screaming interrupted their moment. He returned the ring back to his pocket, sighing in frustration. This wasn't the moment either then.

The police had arrived and it was time to get to work. At least seven drug dealers and twenty-six users were arrested. The night had been a huge success for the city, but the entire ordeal reminded Ginsui on her desires of getting a different job.

She really didn't want to work undercover anymore. She didn't want to act in secrecy or deceit. She wanted to help others in a way that she could be herself.

"So, Ginsui. I have an interview with UA next Monday. They asked if I knew of anyone to recommend. I have a few applications if you want one?" Midnight proposed as they changed into more comfortable clothing.

"Like, as a teacher?" Gini perked up.

"Of course!" Midnight smiled.

"I'll take one too," Aizawa spoke up. He had let his relationship with Ginsui dim. He needed to undo that and he'd be damned if he let her get away again.

Before the three knew it, they were entering their eleventh year as teachers of UA. Little did they know, that it would be the hardest year yet.


	8. His New Class

I hope I do the characters justice! Thanks for reading ^.^

A/N I don't want to make this fic too long, so I may have put too much into one chapter. Hopefully it won't seem too rushed! Please review if you get the chance!

Disclaimer: I do not own rights to MHA/BnHA

* * *

Her Peace

_Seasons change and our love went cold_

_Feed the flame 'cause we can't let go_

_Run away, but we're running in circles_

_Run away, run away_

_~Circles: Post Malone~_

* * *

The youngest Todoroki couldn't wait to start at U.A. He had been looking forward to seeing _her_ again. He made his sister tell him stories about Gini, about the Silver Sorceress. She was one of the best social workers in all of Japan, or so he had heard from numerous resources whenever he asked about her.

So why did she quit and become a librarian of all things? It didn't matter, really. She was here and he would get to thank her after all this time. He may have lost a brother, but he learned what a true hero was capable of. He was finally able to see that not all heroes were like his father.

"What are you doing, you big baby?" Midnight teased Ginsui.

The silver-haired U.A. Librarian was peeking down from the window that faced one of the school's many yards. Every year, she helped her "boyfriend" test his new class. She promised to do that again until Midnight tipped her off on who was going to be in it this year.

She snuck another peek and jumped when the man she had been spying on blinked up at her irritably. She hated getting caught. She sunk back down into her desk chair in shame.

All of this cowardice because she didn't want to face that boy. _Shouto Todoroki_. How could she after that incident a decade ago? Had it already been that long? The sting of failure still burned as if it had happened yesterday.

"Are you listening to me? Are you avoiding Aizawa because of that silly argument you two had about him having too many cats or is this about Endeavor's kid?" Midnight laughed as she watched Ginsui twirl her curly hair in agitation.

"It's the Todoroki. I wish I knew what to say to him so that I won't be so awkward around him. ZaZa is going to be pissed that I didn't help him today. I'm dreading it."

"Can you blame him though? You promised to help, and you didn't even show up. What's worse is that now he knows you didn't forget. You know how first years can be. They're so...well... irritating. He loves it when you deal with them. You're the only one that can calm them down after all," the raven-haired beauty smiled.

"Yeah, I know. I'll make it up to him later. I've already prepared a matchup list for him to use for future teacher-student spars."

"You're the best at making those! So, speaking of matchups, did you also make your ship list?" Midnight giggled, slamming her own couples' chart on the librarian's desk.

"You bet I did!" Ginsui squealed and provided her own. The two thirty-year-old women reviewed each other's pairings.

"Uraraka Ochaco with Bakugo Katsuki?! What the hell kind of shit is that?!" Midnight gasped, "She's clearly meant for this Midoriya kid!"

"WHAT?! She's CLEARLY only going to see him as a first love. By year three, she'll realize how incompatible they are. Based on their personality tests, she's obviously better suited for the loud-mouthed bomb boy!" Ginsui argued.

"Hmm, whatever. It looks like you have Yaoyorozu Momo with both Todoroki and Jiro Kyoka, but Todoroki is also linked in with MIDORIYA? Give me a break, Gini, are you on drugs?"

"Excuse me, Nemuri, but we don't know what sexuality they have! I think they could go either way and if they do, this is what I foresee. Oh, and it looks like we both put Kirishima Eijiro with Mina; however, it looks like you also lumped him up with...BAKUGO?! You're talking about my shipments and you go and DO THAT?" Gini gawked.

"Whatever, they're cute!"

"Yeah, I suppose I can see it too honestly."

The two continued their amusing conversation completely unaware of their new guests.

"Ahem," a light cough interrupted the gossiping teachers. Mr. Aizawa hid a smirk behind his hand as his first years stared.

"Oh! Mr. Aizawa...I wasn't expecting any visitors," Gini blushed.

"The new kids wanted a tour of the school. It was only logical to swing them by here too."

"Right..." Ginsui smiled sheepishly. She slid the ship lists under a stack of books on her desk.

"It smells like nerd in here!" A kid with bold, blond hair barked.

"Really? I always thought it smelled like weed and the loss of teenage ambition," Ginsui cheekily replied as she pointed to three 3A students smoking blunts in the back corner of the room.

The three laughed when Aizawa sighed disappointingly. They giggled as the crunchy sound of their snack bags opening made him grimace.

"Whoa! Was that the Big Three?!" An emerald-eyed, freckled-face boy exclaimed as the older students quickly left after Aizawa's cold stare scared them out.

The kid already had his notebook ready and was jotting down notes when Ginsui answered his question. Izuku blinked back as the realization of who she was dawned on him.

"Oh my gosh! The SILVER SORCERESS. You're one of the hardest heroes to find any information on! I only have two lines of notes about you and it's all based on your participation at the Sports Festival when you went to school here. Even the hero database doesn't have your real name listed. Your identity was really kept quiet. Is it because you mainly worked undercover? Or something else? Do you have a family secret?"

Ginsui's face was unreadable. She wasn't upset at the odd questions, but the attention was unnerving to say the least. The poor kid didn't even realize how spot on he was. She finally smiled at his enthusiasm.

"I'm not able to answer some of those questions, but I can at least give you my name. I'm Fukukado Ginsui. You can call me Gini. I don't really like formalities."

"Your last name is like Ms. Joke's! Are you related? Do you have similar quirks?"

"She's my cousin and our powers are sort of similar. Her quirk is more of a one-sided version of some of the things I can do." Ginsui explained as Deku quickly jotted everything she had said down.

"You mean you can make people laugh?" Bakugo interrupted.

"Among other things, yeah," Ginsui answered.

"They let someone like you work here? I didn't realize U.A. had job openings for lame-ass quirk users," he bluntly replied.

"Don't be so disrespectful!" Iida gasped in shock.

"She could kick your ass without even breaking a sweat. She wouldn't even have to touch you," Todoroki voiced.

Bakugo laughed in disbelief, "How could this weakling beat me?!"

"Is that a challenge?" Aizawa spoke out. He'd enjoy this after the day he's had with this one.

"Uh, is that allowed?" Tsuyu Asui asked unassuredly.

"Absolutely!" Midnight perked up. This day just got a whole lot more interesting.

"This is going to be awesome!" Kirishima cheered with the other students.

"I'm kinda worried. What if Bakugo hurts her?" Denki Kaminari asked.

"Not a chance," Todoroki answered, his fist covered in ice.

Ginsui led the 1A class to the nearby gym. She lazily grabbed a metal chair and sat in it. Bakugo stood about ten feet away. He frowned in confusion. Why wasn't she doing anything? Was she toying with him?

"Fine! I'll start!" He shouted.

He felt the sweat from his palms tingle as he prepared an attack. His smile quickly dissipated.

"Wh...what's wrong with me?" He choked.

_Why am I hesitating? Why am I just standing here? Why do I feel...feel so unsure?_

Ginsui's eyes glowed a soft periwinkle.

"Is that doubt you're feeling? It's unsettling, isn't it? Not knowing if you're making the right decision, not knowing why you're even here. What led you to this point? All of those doubts just crawling under your skin..." Ginsui spoke with a dark tone.

Deku's pencil scribbling was all that could be heard from the surrounding students. By now, the gym was full of students from various classes. They had never seen their librarian discipline before.

Ginsui's eyes deepened into a cold, midnight blue. Bakugo's doubt sickened into depression. He wanted to sob. His mind told him that he should be embarrassed, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't make the emotional toil end. He cried despite wanting to snap out of it. He didn't want to meet a gloomy doom in front of these people. Tears fell freely to spite him.

"What are you doing to me?" He pleaded.

"Oh, you don't like that? What about something less sinister?" Gini mocked. Her eyes brightened to a hot pink.

Katsuki Bakugo felt invigorated. He was so hyper, that he could taste the energy boost the influx of serotonin gave him. He began to ramble random thoughts as he danced around the gym. Any idea he ever had was spoken aloud as the students nearby laughed.

"It's all fun and games until she makes you angry enough to kill your allies," Mr. Aizawa snapped at the crowd.

The gym got quiet again. They had forgotten about the endless possibilities that a quirk like that could do.

"I've always been told that the worst feeling in the world was nothingness. That the emptiness is so overwhelming and loud and frigid and cruel, that it was a sin to use on someone," Ginsui said as her eyes turned a shade darker than black.

Bakugo collapsed in a heap of terrified, short breaths as all emotion left him. He trembled in confusion. It was as if he were blind, deaf, and naked all at once. The lack of senses had him clawing at the floor beneath him.

"To me, that nothingness is bliss. To me, it's a break. The only time I get a moment free from the screams of everyone's emotions is when Mr. Aizawa erases my quirk. He's the only reason I can sleep most nights."

Izuku's scribbling intensified.

"Ms. Gini? You say that the emptiness he's experiencing is a break for you. If that's not the worst thing for you, what is?" Midoriya asked anxiously.

The teacher frowned. She'd need to speed this up before the kid that challenged her went insane. It was better if she showed them firsthand.

"Feeling them all at once," she whispered as her eyes clouded over. Her white irises sent chills over the crowd as they all fell victim to her quirk. Each student reacted differently. Some cried, some screamed, some pulled at their hair, and some covered their ears in desperation to push out the emotional tsunami.

She gently caressed Bakugo's face as she freed them all from her mental snare. The boy sputtered and vomited.

"Did you learn your lesson, young Bakugo?" All Might butted in, "I heard the scared screams of students and thought the worst," he explained his sudden presence.

"I never realized that a quirk like that could be so...so...terrifying and awe-inspiring at once," Uraraka mumbled.

"Indeed! I've been lucky enough to see her talents out in the field. A true wonder, this girl," All Might agreed.

"Dude, she totally kicked your ass and all she did was sit in a chair!" Mineta laughed mercilessly.

"I have made a mental note to never get on the librarian's bad side," Tokoyami stated as the 1A class nodded with him.

The teachers that managed to get into the overpopulated gymnasium quickly ushered their own classes away. Aizawa gathered his students together and explained what they would be doing the rest of the day. Todoroki stayed behind as the class returned to their room.

"Gini," he began. Before he could finish, his favorite nanny brought him into a hug.

"I'm so glad to see how well you're doing," she smiled, fighting back grief.

Todoroki could see why Toya had liked the woman. She felt like sunshine after a storm.

"It's good to see you again too," he smiled as he returned her hug.

* * *

Dabi watched on from an elevated position in the gym. No one had even noticed his presence. It was easy to hide when no one was looking for him. How he had gotten into the highly secured school was his secret, but he was glad he pulled it off.

He smirked as he watched Gini bring that cocky son-of-a-bitch down a few notches. She didn't look a day over nineteen. Ten years didn't touch her. He used to have the biggest crush on her, but now he knew it had only been that, a crush. She was cute, kind, and fun to check up on, but he knew he wouldn't do well with her. She was too safe and he was too reckless.

So, he opted to carefully watch over her to make sure Eraserhead did his job as a man. Unfortunately, the two didn't seem to be anything more than friends with benefits. He wanted Gini to be happy. It seemed that lately, all she did was exist. He wanted to see her live. He wanted to see that bold twinkle in her eyes again.

He was going to remind Aizawa about the goddess he had. Best case scenario, Aizawa would finally lock that ass down; worst case scenario, the couple would call it quits. Either way, Ginsui was going to wake up from her humdrum life.

* * *

"Are you staying over?" Aizawa yawned from his stiff position in front of the PS4 he was playing.

"Maybe tomorrow," Gini yawned back. She was finding it less appealing now that he had welcomed a third cat into the one-bedroom apartment.

She didn't mind the pets. She just wanted some intense intimacy and it was a hard thing to achieve when the animals kept scratching at the bedroom door.

She felt that they were starting to grow apart little by little. Each year seemed to drag. She blamed it on him having two jobs, but she knew that she could just be in denial of her first love ending. It probably should have ended after high school. They say that if it's meant to be, then it'll be. So, if she were to let things continue to drift, there was still a possibility that they would get back to each other.

The thought of him with anyone but her made her nauseous. No, she definitely still wanted him. Whatever her weird feelings meant, she knew she wanted to do something spontaneous with the man she loved so deeply. That idea seemed further now than it had last year. What could she do to make him think the things he used to when they were younger? She looked over at him. He was already asleep with one of the cats kneading on the shoulder it balanced on.

It was this staleness that drove her into doing something irrational. She kissed his sleeping face goodbye and headed home to the apartment she and Emi had shared for the last decade.

"You want to what?" Her cousin Emi asked. Ginsui was in the bathroom running a bath when she decided to voice her idea.

"I want you to help me set up a dating account. Midnight suggested it the other day, and now I think I'm ready."

"But what about Aizawa? Aren't you guys, like, married now?"

Ginsui laughed, "He still hasn't even claimed me as his girlfriend. Call him up now, ask him if he loves me, and you'll be met with silence first, and a reluctant admittance next. That ain't what I want."

"Have you tried talking to him about it?" Emi frowned.

"No, but I don't think he's not going to mind. I don't think he has time to even care."

"When's the last time you guys actually talked instead of fucked?"

"Like...maybe six years ago..."

"Oh my god you two are ridiculous. I have your account set up and ready. You should get some hits soon!"

"What?"

"I had already made an outline for one for you a long time ago. I've been waiting for this day to make it a reality. Do you think he'll get jealous?"

"Does he seem like the type?" Gini teased.

"No, but we can always hope," Joke whined.

They were in for a real treat.

* * *

Aizawa awoke with a stiff neck. He couldn't believe that he had fallen asleep before telling her goodbye again. This was the fourth time this week. He quickly checked his phone. He had installed a tracking app on Ginsui's phone since he had an unresolved fear of her getting kidnapped again. (Not his proudest moment but the woman got in so much trouble, goddamnit!) She was home, so he breathed a sigh of relief.

He knew things weren't going exactly as he had hoped. He was pretty shitty at expressing his feelings and lately he had been too busy to even stay up long enough for them to spend quality time together. Fifteen years he had strung her along. Maybe...maybe he should give her a break and see what would happen.

He glanced at the closet door that hid a small box with the ring he had protected all this time. Or, maybe he should just plan an engagement. Joke and Mic would explode into a frenzy if he asked them to help. He frowned in frustration. It just never seemed like the right time, and now it might be too late.

"Yo! You're not going to believe what just happened!" Mic yelled into Aizawa's ear.

"You got Joke to go on a date finally?" ZaZa replied dryly.

"No...but it looks like Gini is going on one. Imagine my surprise when I saw her profile on the dating app I've been using! Bruh, what the hell is going on?!"

Aizawa's heart dropped. He coughed to get rid of the tightening sensation in his throat.

"I say we crash it!" Mic voiced over Aizawa's silence.

"Give me the details," Aizawa agreed.

* * *

Ginsui was fresh out of the shower when she checked her phone. She scrolled through the matches that had been made for her.

"Emi most of these guys are at least three to ten years younger. They aren't going to want an old lady," Gini whined as she checked out the profiles.

"Well, most people our age are already married with families. I'm sorry Aizawa is so damn unbothered by your need of a ring, wedding, and titles. I still think you should talk to him first. But hey, if this brings his attention back to you then I'm hella excited."

Joke was hella excited because she had already informed Mic and knew that he wasn't going to let this slide without some sort of drama, but what Gini didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

Ginsui was the most impressed with a man five years younger. He didn't have any pictures, but his bio explained that he had scars. She found mystery appealing, so she opted for him over the others.

_Free tonight? _She boldly asked.

Toya Todoroki, aka Dabi, smiled at the message. He didn't even have to try. He recalled her love of dancing whenever she cooked for him and his siblings. He knew of a few raves going on. He could probably talk her into going to one of those.

_Absolutely. Meet me at sixth street in Esuha City around 9. _

Ginsui's heart skipped a beat at the reply. It was a late time for a first date, but it was still a date. A date with a stranger. It was the type of exciting she had been searching for.

"Are you sure you want to go alone? I can at least ride with you," Emi offered. She had already made arrangements with Mic, but she didn't want to be too suspicious.

"I'm good, but thanks!" Gini was already headed out. She had on red shorts that barely covered her bottom, a black halter top, and black, high-top Converse. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail. Her wallet and keys were hooked onto her shorts so that she wouldn't have to carry anything.

On her way to the sub, she felt a sense of unease tickle at her spine. She wanted to dismiss it, but her father had always told her to go with her gut. She chanced a look around to see if she could casually pinpoint the area that the desire was coming from. A young man, no older than twenty-one was leaning against a wall to her left. His foot was propping him up so that he wasn't touching the filth. His hands were stuffed into his pants pockets.

He was surprisingly handsome for someone who was so internally vile. His gold eyes felt as if they were piercing through her head. Could he read her thoughts?

_"You owe me."_ Ginsui recalled.

His face was covered by a simple black mask. Gini couldn't erase the deja vu. Was someone about to bother her again? Would they be splattered? No, no she was just imagining things. This wasn't the same kid. Of course, ten years does change a boy to a man. No, no, she was overthinking like always. Her great Uncle did warn her of the kid's possessive behavior.

This wasn't the same kid. The man creeping nearby felt infinitely more tame. No way in hell was this the same person. Evil always eats a soul away first, but then it starts to gobble up the surface too. If that was Kai, then he would look sick. Bad guys didn't look that good.

But her gut screamed at her. She kept her internal argument going as the subway train came in.

If that man was Chisaki, then she had no doubt that he would have already made a move. She shrugged her shoulders to snap out of the weary mood. She had a freaking date to get to after all.


	9. Her Bad Judgement

I'm thinking of this story going in three different directions. If I don't get reviews, it makes it even harder to decide what I want to do y'all. Anyway, I hope this chapter is okay! There's some foreshadowing XD

* * *

Her Peace

_I know you don't think that I am trying_  
_I know you're wearing thin down to the core_

_But hold your breath_  
_Because tonight will be the night_  
_That I will fall for you over again_

_~Fall For You: Secondhand Serenade~_

* * *

Emi Fukukado glanced over her shoulder to inspect the odd couple behind her. She was wearing a bright blue wig and star shaped glasses to hide her face. Hizashi sported a curly, afro-styled wig and his eyelids were painted in heavy, red eyeshadow. He coughed subtly to warn his partner-in-crime of their narrowing proximity from Gini and her interesting date.

Ginsui knew of their presence from the get-go. It took every ounce of stoicism she had in her bones to keep from laughing. If they were here, then that only meant one thing: Aizawa was too.

She held her face straight when a man a few inches taller than her approached her. He had purplish scars that covered his neck and half of his face. Despite those and the silver staples he adorned his flesh with, he was _hot. _His cyan eyes ate her up and the smirk that tickled his cheeks was contagious.

The younger man was shyer than he let on. She immediately felt at ease. It was strange, especially considering how nervous those nearby felt with his menacing scars haunting the street. He physically didn't match the warm heart within. This stark difference reminded her of the earlier encounter she had with the masked man at the subway.

She shrugged it off and opted to listen to her guest instead. He tucked his hands into his pockets nervously and dodged any intimate eye contact. He spoke coolly, but enticingly so. He kept her attention with every word. She could listen to his drawl all night.

His air of confidence was cute considering how she could read the uncertainty underneath it. He was trying to impress her and it was adorable.

"You said your name is Dabi, but you seem so familiar and I don't recognize that name..." She asked as he lazily draped his arm around her to lead them to a nearby rave.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured me out yet," he teased with a wink.

Ginsui blinked in concern. So she did know him?

"After you, Ms. Gini," he smiled before pushing her through the guarded door. She froze once they entered the blackened building. Neon lights along with various glowing forms were the only sources of light she could find.

_Ms. Gini_

"What's wrong?" He asked worriedly when she had stopped walking.

_Toya?_ She thought idly. _No, he was gone._

"Gini?" He waved his hands in front of her to bring her back to reality.

"Whoops, sorry! You really do remind me of someone I knew a long time ago. Anyway, let's get wasted!" She laughed and skipped to a nearby bar.

She took three shots of some pink liquid, grabbed a pale blue glowing necklace, and began to dance her way to the stage. Dabi smirked from behind his own shot glass. Goddamn her thighs were thick. He wanted to smash his face between them and hear her call his real name, but he knew that was a stretch.

Afterall, he was only here to make the guy playing the lead guitar on the stage jealous.

Gini laughed as she felt Dabi toy with her short's belt loops as she danced onto him. All glee vanished the moment all emotion erased from her. The crowd cheered as the guitarist knelt towards her. His black hair stood high and his ruby eyes pierced her soul as he dipped in closer.

His solo came to an end and he blinked. The rush of the feelings around her couldn't even dent the exaggeration of her own pounding at her heartstrings. Her mouth popped open in shock.

She had forgotten how dangerously sexy the man was. Shit, 99% of their time shared was with him sleeping or teaching. She had forgotten that he could play like that. She had forgotten what his fingers could do to her. She stared at his hands as he strummed the instrument so effortlessly.

"Need a smoke break. Try not to get too friendly with the band," Dabi snickered as he caught his date silently gushing over the guitarist.

"I'm sorry, he took me off guard..." she began after realizing how obvious her swooning was.

He chuckled harder the redder her face got. How dare she be embarrassed? It was her own man she was fawning over, hell! Dabi didn't want to be the one to tell her that, so he laughed again.

He patiently tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and left with a cigarette balancing in his lips. His plan was working. Ms. Gini was _living_.

Ginsui didn't know what to do, think, or act. She expected Aizawa to do something, but all he did was continue to play as if she were any other chick there. The girls around her were starting to get on her nerves. Who did they think they were? That piece of sleek sex on legs were hers! Wait, wasn't he?

WHAT was she doing?! Her heart sunk and the guilt of her decision made her want to puke. She probably ruined what little attraction he had left for her.

Aizawa glanced at her again. His eyebrows frowned when he noticed her rosy cheeks pale. He could see her bottom lip quiver as she looked at the women surrounding her. She could be so dumb sometimes, he thought bitterly.

The song ended and Gini immediately ran to the nearest exit. Her hand was nearly on the door when she felt herself get entangled in a thick, white scarf.

Aizawa pushed her softly towards the wall next to her escape. One hand held her wrappings tightly and the other rested on the wall beside her face.

"Want to tell me what you're doing?" He asked seductively.

"Well...you see...I...well...you know...I...umm..." she broke, afraid to make things worse.

He sighed at her incoherent explanation.

"Ginsui Fukukado," he began. He slowly freed her from his trap, lowered to his right knee, and opened a box.

"Yes," she blurted before he could even form the words, before she even spared a glance at the ring.

He bit his bottom lip to hide his ever-growing grin. He picked her up and pushed her hips above his own. He hungrily nibbled at her exposed throat, snarling as she softly begged for more. He snatched her hand and the two quickly left the party.

Ginsui accidentally bumped into a figure as Aizawa rushed her away. She turned to apologize.

"No worries, Ms. Gini. It was nice hanging out with you again," Dabi winked devilishly as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

_Ms. Gini_. There it was again—a nagging feeling of knowing him. Could it really be Toya? Her fiancé was too busy tugging on her arm to even notice the transaction. She would have to talk to him about her suspicions later.

Mic and Joke were too busy headbanging back at the club to even crash the date as they had originally planned. It was after three a.m. when they even noticed that their friends were gone.

"Do you think they worked it out?" Emi frowned as they looked around.

"Yo, what if she left with the other guy though? Should we check on Eraser's apartment?"

"It wouldn't hurt to stop by I guess," Emi agreed.

The two regretted their decision the second they got close enough to the apartment door to hear what was going on within the walls.

"Oh my god!" Emi shrieked before slamming her hands over her ears after hearing her cousin scream 'harder'.

"I guess we got our answer then," Mic gritted his teeth and ran away with Joke on his heels.

"Holy SHIT!" Ginsui gasped as Aizawa slapped her ass before collapsing on top of her back. The two fell exhaustedly as she stretched off her knees. It had been quite sometime since they had spent an entire day doing _that_. Twelve hours of snacking, fucking, and loving.

"Much sex. Much tired," ZaZa sighed. Work tomorrow was going to be rough. The two were sleeping less than ten minutes later.

Ginsui stretched before checking her phone. _Nine o'clock?!_ She rushed to the shower so that she could make it to work before lunch.

"Iida, please keep the class quiet while I step out for a moment," Aizawa instructed while his phone rang.

"What's up?" He asked vaguely.

"ZaZa! Why didn't you get me up?" Gini groaned as she walked to work.

"You needed the rest. Letting you sleep was the rational thing to do, dummy."

"Okay, but what about you? Huh _dummy_?"

"This isn't the only reason you called, is it?"

"You know me so well. I called because... I'm being followed."

Aizawa hesitated, "Do you recognize the pursuer?"

"I...please don't be mad at me for not saying something sooner, but I think I do." Gini began to explain what had happened ten years ago and why it was relevant.

"I'll bring up his description at my next meeting at the agency. Maybe someone has tabs on the guy."

"Thank you. I'll see you soon," Gini replied. She kept the phone up to her ear to act like she was still talking on it.

Kai Chisaki grimaced under his beak of a mask. It sickened him to watch her limp down the street. She was utter trash right now. It would be a different story if he had been responsible for her soreness; but no, she was tainted by a Pro-Hero of all people. It made him sick.

Soon, he'd fix her. Soon, she'd be groveling at his every demand. The moment All for One was out of the picture, he'd go through with his big plans for the yakuza.

The Shie Hassaikai would be respected again. They would be feared again. Ginsui would return to her roots and she WOULD be his. It wouldn't be hard to overhaul her lover's sickness out of her.

Ten years he had stalked her. Ten years and he still couldn't verify her quirk. The resources he had, suggested that she was the Silver Sorceress. If that were true, then he could work around that quirk until he could convince her to give it up. If she wasn't that person, then she appeared to not have a quirk at all.

Her Great Uncle had refused to disclose any information about her too. He would neither confirm nor deny the suspicion of her being the Sorceress. Whoever she was, she was _his_ damn it.

He thought he was going to have an aneurysm watching her get friendly with that scaly creature of a man she _willingly_ went out with. What had possessed her to act so unlike herself? Was the cat-lover man she had always been with finally done with her? Was she into dangerous looking guys now? What the hell?

He got his answer today as he continued to watch her walk in discomfort. He gagged. How repulsive. She'd have to scrub herself raw whenever he finally got a hold of her.


	10. Their Breakup?

I needed a chapter that could make my OC close enough to the 1A class that it would make sense for them to be upset if she were to...let's say...go missing or something. I tried that here and hopefully it works out okay! Anyway, thanks for reading!

* * *

Her Peace

Dabi wasn't sure what he had expected. It sure as hell wasn't supposed to be disappointment; which was exactly what he was feeling as he watched Ginsui run back to the man he _wanted_ her to be with. Didn't he want that? Wasn't she just a teenage crush?

_Fuck_. He messed up. He wanted more. He was already at his lowest, so why not be Mr. Steal Your Girl too?

* * *

~1 Month Later~

"You're looking extra nerdy today," Bakugo attempted to compliment his least favorite teacher. Unfortunately, she was the only female adult in the school he could trust with his question.

"And you're sounding_ extra_ extra today. What's up?" The librarian replied as she continued to put-up the returned books to their shelves.

"If you were...a girl...like what would you want to get?" The boy asked hastily after making sure they were alone.

"Huh?" Gini took a double take at the spikey-haired teen.

"Do you need hearing aids ya old hag?" Bakugo spat irritably.

"Whoa, sir."

"Are you going to help me or not?!"

"I wasn't expecting that question from you so take it down a notch, but yeah I'm sure I can help with that."

"Okay, so freaking help."

"It really depends on the girl. If it were me, I'd want food...like literally feed me and I'll be so thankful. Or naps! Give me three hours to nap as I rub my ice, cold feet on your shins and I'll say yes to anything afterwards," Ginsui rambled as she thought of Aizawa.

"That's gross and completely useless to me," Bakugo growled.

"Well, tell me who you're interested in and I could be more helpful."

"I'm not sure...I should say..."

"Please tell me it's Ochako." A light blush at her name betrayed him.

"YESSSS I FREAKING KNEW IT!" Gini cheered.

"YESSSS! Wait, what are we celebrating again?" Nejire Hado asked as Bakugo and Gini gasped.

"None of your damn business, you ditzy bimbo!" Bakugo spat.

"Ruuude," the girl laughed as she, Mirio, and Tamaki left their hiding spot.

"I honestly forgot they were here. Being the 'Big Three' is stressful. They like that I can turn their anxiety down. I bet you'll follow suit. You definitely got that Big Three vibe."

"Whatever lady. Tell me what to do for round cheeks."

"Since you asked so nicely..."

"FINE! PLEASE HELP!"

"I noticed that Ochako likes to laugh. She's also super determined. I bet if you took her to play lazertag, she'd have the best time," Gini pondered aloud.

"That sounds like a date, Ginicakes, geez."

Gini laughed at the nickname. He must have heard Present Mic use it and picked it up unintentionally.

"Okay, hell, if you want to simply give her something instead of going out and having fun with her, then just give her money."

"MONEY?! What the fuck, you're more useless than I thought you would be!"

"Hear me out! She doesn't come from a super wealthy family like most of the students here. I've seen her skip lunch on more than one occasion. If you don't want to hand over cash, then buy her a meal or something so she doesn't starve."

"Thanks," he smirked before leaving her alone.

Gini spent the rest of the morning on edge. She felt like something bad was going to happen. Oh, how she absolutely hated that nagging sense of dread.

"Ms. Fukukado, you've done a remarkable job these past years. I know you enjoy what you do, but there is an opening that I'd like you to apply for," Principal Nezu began as he interrupted her lunch break.

"Really? What is it that you have in mind?"

"Our counselor put in his notice. He's retiring early. The stress of dealing with high school drama took its toll."

"Oh, I see. I suppose I am the best fit for that type of career," Gini replied.

She really didn't want to do it. She had enough trouble keeping the entire UA student body and their feelings at bay. Now, the principal was wanting to make said feelings her job.

"I would be thrilled if you accepted the offer."

"I'll think about it and let you know tomorrow."

"Sounds great, thank you Ms. Fukukado."

* * *

"ZaZa, Principal Nezu wants me to be the school's counselor. What do you think?"

Aizawa frowned into the frying pan he was cleaning. This was what he'd wanted her to do back in her agency days. So, why did she sound so hesitant?

"You'd be able to help kids a lot more efficiently than the last guy," he suggested.

"Well...about that. The last time I used my quirk in that manner, it didn't work..."

"The Todoroki thing? How do you know that it didn't work?" Aizawa asked. He never understood what she meant that day.

"When I use my quirk, I feel what the person I am using it on feels. Their thoughts should be a reflection on what I want them to experience. That night...Toya wasn't the same. All I could feel was defeat, agonizing loss. I'm so scared that's going to happen again, ZaZa. That day I messed with Bakugo was the only time in ten years that I used my quirk on that same scale. I wasn't even sure it was going to do what I wanted it to do. I was half expecting Bakugo to be unaffected and blow me up."

He stared worriedly at her. He never knew that she doubted her abilities.

"Do you think...do you think that maybe your quirk did work and that those negative emotions were your own? That maybe you were so distraught about the situation that you couldn't notice the effectiveness you would normally feel?"

Ginsui looked at her reflection in the plate she was loading into the dishwasher.

_Was it her own pain she felt that night?_

"GiGi, I think the job is a perfect match for you."

"Okay. I'll take it. Nezu better give me a raise though."

* * *

Ginsui glanced over her first roster. The dread she'd been suppressing that week got stronger. She would be doing a psyche review for the 1A students. If all goes smoothly, she could probably finish up 1B that day too.

She politely knocked on the 1A door. Present Mic grabbed her into the class enthusiastically.

"Welcome, Ms. Fukukado! She's better at English than I am, but she's elected to take over as the counselor instead of teaching you this very boring subject."

"Thanks for the introduction, Mr. Hizashi. So, I'm going to go in alphabetical order. Aoyama, ready?"

"Oui, Madame!"

Gini led him to her office, giggling to herself. His aura was as lively as his personality. He held a tinge of insecurity, but she could easily remove that.

"You're so full of life. What are some things that make it hard to put on that smile every day?" She began her assessment.

"Nothing makes smiling hard, Ms. Gini!" He flashed a dazzling grin at her before turning it towards a random direction as if a camera were on him.

Ginsui took his hand in hers so she could erase the doubt she felt from him.

"I believe it!" She smiled and led him back to the classroom.

"Ashido, Mina?" Gini called next.

"So...you and Mr. Aizawa huh?" Mina perked, a grin already flashing across her face.

"Yes," Gini smiled and showed off her ring. Mina squealed.

"As great as you two seem to be for each other, I always picture you with someone more... dangerous," Mina voiced as Gini reviewed her paperwork.

"You think so?" Ginsui blushed as she recalled Dabi.

"Yeah, Mr. Aizawa can be so bleh sometimes. You know? Always napping when he gives us busywork. He needs someone loud and fun. Not that you can't be, I'm sure, but he needs someone to light a fire under his butt and I think you're too patient to do it."

This wasn't the first time Ginsui had been told that someone like her cousin, Emi, would be a better match for her fiancé.

"I've never stopped him from finding someone more chipper than me. Maybe he's content not having a burnt bum," Gini entertained the goofy girl sitting across from her.

"Uh oh, I've said too much didn't I? Oh no, please don't tell Mr. Aizawa!" Mina pouted.

"Your opinions of my love life are safe with me," Gini smiled and proceeded to take the pink girl back.

This one didn't need any mental changes; she was surprisingly well adjusted.

"Tsuyu?" She called next.

"You don't look old enough to be a teacher," Tsu spoke up once the two were in Gini's office.

"I hear that a lot."

"Is it hard to be respected when kids think you're their age?"

"Honestly, yes. Speaking of ages, you are quite mature for yours. From what I've gathered, you can both lead and take direction very well. You also appear to be more levelheaded for those your age. Don't be surprised if you find yourself in a place of dependability. The kids in your class might take this straight-forward attitude as you being rude, so try not to let it get you into any regretful conversations."

"Yes ma'am," Tsu replied, raising a fingertip up to her mouth. Gini had seen the tic before and made a note about it.

This continued without any issue until she reached Denki Kaminari. He was pleasant and a little on the foolish side; however, there was an unnatural amount of anxiety. It was the kind a person gets when they're trying to hide something.

"Do you have a test today, Denki?" Gini casually asked.

"I...I don't think so. Do we?!" His anxiety spiked.

Gini decided to associate the odd sensation to the kid's weird level of stress and not to her own wild imagination of him plotting something. She quickly removed the nervousness from the boy who was on the verge of panic. He instantly eased back up and cheerfully complimented her on her new dress.

It wasn't until she got to Kirishima that the strange hint of plotting returned. It was so obviously similar to Denki's that she couldn't dismiss it a second time.

"So, are you and Kaminari good friends?" She began her interrogation.

"Yeah, we get along better than most," Kirishima smiled.

"You seem a bit brighter than him. Let's say you two were planning something big. Do you see yourself as being the leader or only a team player?"

"Honestly, Ms. Gini, neither of us would be suited as a leader," Eijiro laughed playfully.

His aura was one of the most beautiful she had seen. It was so warm and screamed "I have a big heart". So why was the stain of treachery covering it?

"Don't sell yourself so short, okay?" Gini smiled reassuringly back. She exuded a small amount of confidence onto him on their way back. She knew he and Denki had something up, but she wouldn't look further into it until it started to affect the other students.

The rest of her afternoon was spent with the 1A class. The process took longer than she had anticipated and by the end of the day, her head felt like it was going to explode. She didn't feel any better that night either. If anything, the headache worsened.

"You don't look so great, GiGi. Are you sure you still want to go to the party at Emi's?" Aizawa asked as the two were getting ready.

"She'd be disappointed if we didn't go. You know how she is."

"I don't really care about her feelings. I'd rather you be okay."

"Now that you mention it, this headache I have hasn't eased up. Can you do the thing? I think I'll stay in and go to be early. I still think you should go though. That way she won't be too mad at us."

Shota sighed, "Fine, but you better make it up to me tomorrow."

Ginsui grinned as a wave of relaxation hit her. Aizawa didn't release his quirk until her biscuit-making movements in the sheets stopped.

Three minutes was all it took this time. She was becoming more and more dependent on him for sleep. It was as close to a drug addiction as she could get. They'd have to find another way to ease the mental struggles.

He didn't want to leave her there alone. It didn't seem right to go without her. Out of their fifteen-year friendship, this would be the first time he'd be seeing Joke without Gini.

Ginsui awoke to the sound of rocks being thrown at the bedroom window. She peeked at her phone and noticed an email from Sir Nighteye. It was about the masked man that had been following her. She'd have to visit tomorrow.

Another rock hit the window. She groaned and pushed Aizawa's fattest cat off her legs before pulling the curtains out of the way to see what was going on.

_Dabi?!_

"Uh...what the hell are you doing?" She called down from the window.

She blushed once she realized that the thin, white silk robe she was wearing left nothing to the imagination.

Dabi looked up at her shamelessly. The cleavage was a treasure to behold and if he played his cards right, he could be seeing them a lot more. She stared sleepily down at him, nearly dozing back off.

"Come down and I'll tell you," he eventually answered her to keep her from falling asleep and falling out of the damn window.

She squinted down in uncertainty. He felt honest. She didn't have any reason to distrust him, so she nodded.

"Okay, give me ten minutes."

"Why?"

"Obviously I need clothes? What do you mean 'why'?"

"What's wrong with what you have on?"

"...It's a robe!"

"And?"

"And? Excuse me for wanting to be decent."

Dabi snorted. "I don't think you're going to be worried about that once you see why I woke you up."

"I don't like where this is going."

"Yeah, you're going to hate it," Dabi dragged the odd conversation out so that he could continue to stare at the c-cups spilling out towards him.

He placed a cigarette between his lips as she frowned down at him.

"Well?" He blinked at her as he used a lick of blue flame to light the end.

Ginsui slammed the window shut and forced her trembling legs to sit. The conversations she had with the man on their date came crashing down.

He made it clear that she knew him. He mentioned that they had spent time together before then. Then, there was _that. _Who else did she know have that quirk?

_That _person was dead. She felt him die in her arms. Was she so desperate for the kid to be alive that she was hallucinating? She spared a peek out of the window and watched him snuff out the cigarette and light another. He was real.

If by some miracle he was alive, then why would he be interested in her? She's the reason he ended up like that—scarred and alone. Did he even have a place to live?

More importantly, why was she dressed and following him blindly into the night? She continued to study him from her peripherals as they neared a loud section of town.

"This is Emi's block party..." Gini finally spoke up to end the intense silence.

"Yeah," he shrugged.

Gini turned towards him, but he had already disappeared.

_Ughhh,_ she thought bitterly. She deserved this. She let herself be talked into getting out of her warm bed for this.

That was when she caught it. The sound was so unusual that it made her heart skip a beat. Aizawa's precious laughter.

Emi had all those nearby cackling at whatever it was she was saying. Ginsui watched from afar. His deep chuckles soothed her eardrums. The sight of him full of joy in Emi's presence shook her to the core. Maybe Mina was right.

The joy, the laughter, the sweet unadulterated feeling of happiness wasn't something she was good at providing. Yet, it came so naturally for her cousin. The two contrasting friends looked great together. Emi's stunning brightness and ZaZa's passionate darkness were practically meant for each other.

The couple paired so well, that Gini felt guilty watching them. Like, she was an unwelcomed third wheel on a special affair.

_Ughhh,_ she groaned again before chewing her bottom lip. She should have told the stapled guy to fuck off. But no. Instead, she was awkwardly watching her best friends become more than that.

_Ughhh. _She felt so gross. Had she been in the way of true love this whole time? Is Emi the reason it took Aizawa so long to settle for her?

Dabi's left eye twitched as he carefully watched Ginsui's mannerisms. She kept pulling her light cardigan tightly around her, as if keeping her insides from spilling out. Her lip was going to bleed at any second with the way she kept chewing on it.

She was so uncomfortable that she appeared to be making herself sick. Her face was starting to look feverish. Maybe he had made a mistake by bringing her here. Ever since their date, he had been thinking of a way to change her mind about her love interest. He wanted her, yeah, but he didn't want to see her hurt.

"GINICAKES!" Mic called out to her. She, along with Aizawa and Emi (and Dabi who was patiently waiting for Gini to leave) nearly jumped out their skin.

"Shit, girl! How long have you been here?" Emi smiled and pulled the emotionally drained woman into a tight hug.

"Long enough," she tartly replied.

"You look fatigued. We should get you back home, GiGi," Aizawa suggested anxiously. Something was wrong and he felt responsible.

"I'm fine. Really. I got an email from Nighteye and was headed there. I thought I'd swing by to say hello on my way."

"I'll take you there then. It's not safe for you to travel alone. We've talked about this before," Aizawa dryly added. He knew she was improvising.

"No. You can stay and laugh your tiny ass off while I go find a way to get a creepy bird-man off my back," she frowned and pushed him away. It was the first time she had acted so aggressively towards him.

"Gini! Hey! Wait up! What the hell is going on? You're not acting like yourself. Are you sure you're not unwell?" Joke chased and placed the back of her hand onto Gini's forehead.

Gini slapped her hand away, "I said I'm fine!"

She took advantage of Emi's stunned surprise and sprinted towards the closest vehicle: a black limo. Her phone fell out of her pocket, but she didn't have time to grab it.

"Sorry for intruding. I hope you don't mind sharing for a little. I only need a place to hide and cool down before I do anything else dumb tonight," she explained as she slammed the door shut and scooted closer to the person she barged in on.

Her mouth popped open once she looked at who she was speaking to.

Kai Chisaki grimaced.

Ginsui Fukukado grimaced.

She slowly scooted back to the door and attempted to open it. Unfortunately, the door was already locked since the limo was in motion.

So, she sat there gritting her teeth. She fiercely prayed to any and all gods she could list that the sickness radiating from the young man didn't touch her. She wanted to break away from his overwhelmingly passionate stare, but something held her gaze steady into the goldenrod orbs glaring at her.

Suddenly, the vile was gone and his disgusted ogling was replaced with surprise and...concern?

"You're shivering and your face is covered in sweat. If you're sick, I can fix it."

"Why does everyone keep saying I'm sick? I'm FINE!" She pouted and eventually relaxed once she got that out of her system.

Chisaki raised an eyebrow. He couldn't believe his luck. He longed to speak with her again, but couldn't find the words he needed to take her to his home. Her payment was long overdue.

"Oh! There's my stop. I can't thank you enough for letting me chill for a minute," Gini rambled as his aura went from normal to conniving again.

She took a wad of cash out, sat it down beside the masked man, and quickly forced the door unlocked once the limo had stopped. She closed the door quietly behind her and all but ran into the building the vehicle had stopped beside. It seemed abandoned, but it didn't matter.

She found a couch within a third story room and locked all the doors to the emptied apartment. She hoped other homeless people didn't bother her here. She just needed to stay put for a few hours and then she would walk to her uncle's. He never minded if she or his daughter stayed over, so that was her goal.

Stay safe for a few hours, get over to her uncle's to think about what she had seen, and then make her way to Nighteye's agency to see what she could do about beak-boy. That's all she needed to do. Stay awake for a few hours. She could do that.


	11. Her Farewell

I hated what I did with Shota Aizawa in this chapter cause he's love, but he can't be perfect, right? We've all made some shitty decisions and my stories are full of them since I want them to be as relatable as possible. I can't deviate from that now. There are mild spoilers involving Toga in this chapter if you only watch the anime and haven't caught up in the manga! Thanks for reading and if you get a chance to review, it really helps motivate me!

Disclaimer: I do not own MHA or any events that may show up here.

* * *

Her Peace

_Wish I could erase my memories_  
_So I could stop feeling so empty_  
_I wish that shit wasn't so tempting_  
_But it's hard to resist when there's plenty_  
_Of things I could do to fuck me up_  
_I want to let go, but I'm feeling so stuck_

_My body's shakin'_  
_My head is achin'_  
_It feels like my heart is breakin'_  
_My body's shakin'_  
_My head is achin'_  
_I can't fix this mess I'm makin'_

_~Lyrics from Empty by Olivia O'Brien~_

* * *

Himiko Toga blushed fiercely as she watched Ginsui roughly toss and turn as her fever worsened. She hadn't seen the woman since she was in elementary school. Ginsui was the only person that treated her like a human after her quirk had evolved.

Toga thought about that as she watched the sickening woman. Ginsui had argued passionately with her parents and the therapists. The Silver Sorceress did her best to explain that the little girl couldn't control herself, that her thirst for blood was an extension of the quirk manifesting within her. That if they were patient, she could help monitor the hungry sensations until Toga could master them herself.

No one had listened. No one wanted to take the time to care.

Himiko smiled toothily as she changed the old, dry cloth on Gini's forehead for a cold, wet one. She could return the compassion just this once.

Ginsui woke up nearly 24 hours after her arrival at the empty building. Her throat was sore, and her head throbbed

"...Himiko Toga?" Ginsui choked, thinking the teenaged girl was only a vision brought on by the fever.

"The one and only Gin-Gin! I'm not sure how you ended up here, but it's my hidey place. You really need to get to a hospital," Toga replied in baby-like manner.

"...What time is it?" Gini groaned as the migraine forced her eyes shut.

"It's around two p.m. Sunday."

"SUNDAY?!" Gini whined between her chattering teeth, "I really need to get home."

"What you really need to do is see a doctor, but I don't even think you can move."

"I wish I hadn't dropped my phone now..." Ginsui moaned as the steady current of pain whipped her head.

"Why don't you just hush now. I'll find someone that can help," Toga babied the ex-pro hero as she wrapped her tightly in a wool blanket.

Hero-Killer Stain glared down at the frail body.

"No, you cannot cut me," the man warned Toga for the tenth time.

"Aww, maybe next time, Mr. Stainy!"

"Listen, I'm only helping this pitiful soul because I've seen her stop and heal the mental wounds for us wretched people that society rejected. Keep that between us."

"Understood!" Toga saluted as the man snuck away.

"He's so dreamy," she drooled as she happily injected the medicine into a vein on Ginsui's right arm.

* * *

~Monday Morning~

"Do you think it worked?" Kaminari whispered in the back of the classroom to Kirishima.

"I overheard Mr. Aizawa talking about her with Mr. Yamada. Apparently, she's been 'AWOL' or whatever that means since Friday night," Kirishima replied.

"I bet it's code for 'sick'. Dude, I can't believe it worked! I thought for sure that she had caught onto me. You should have seen the way she watched me during the psyche evaluation. It's like she knew something was wrong..." Denki sighed.

"Tell me about it, man. Sneaking that sick serum into her breakfast was stressful, but it's for the best. I couldn't live with myself knowing she was in danger. I don't care how desperate my family gets, I can't let them trade Ms. Gini's life for _his_." *

"Yeah, I'm glad I could help. Wait, did you say you put the serum in her breakfast? I did too..." Denki gasped.

"Fuck...she could be really sick. Like, in the hospital sick."

"What should we do now?"

Kirishima frowned in thought. "If she isn't found by tomorrow, I'm going to come forward about my family."

"That sounds like a bad idea. Let's hope she's okay," Denki grumbled.

"Her being sick is better than what is supposed to happen to her today anyway. Let's not worry. We have to keep our heads straight."

Mr. Aizawa gathered the class and prepared them for the USJ. He wasn't even supposed to be chaperoning them today goddamnit. Ginsui was and he could have really used her help for this lesson. However, that was his least concern.

He didn't think he'd be able to laugh again after Friday night.

Ginsui was clearly unwell and now she was missing. Had she not come home because of him?

If he were the issue, then she would have turned up at her uncle's. She didn't even show up for her meeting with Sir Nighteye. That was what troubled him the most. The public had been kept out of the loop, but the Hero agencies had received updated profiles to be on the lookout for the Silver Sorceress just in case she had gotten into trouble...again.

Most men would have been relieved for the break. Ginsui wasn't exactly the easiest girlfriend. It wasn't her fault. Despite her drama-filled quirk, she was all he ever wanted. He enjoyed taking care of her.

He _wanted_ to be needed. It gave him a sense of purpose whenever she sought him out for comfort. It stroked his ego knowing that he alone was the only person she could use to keep herself sane. Only he could erase the pain—unless a villain had given her another option.

Ginsui hadn't used him in over 24 hours. He was never one to be anxious, but this set him on edge. He was grouchier than ever before. The students and teachers alike were picking up on it. It didn't help that his class was being extra obnoxious due to the last minute changes.

Was she okay? Had she gotten hurt? Or worse, had she hurt herself to numb her mental anguish? Her father had. Her mother had. Was she okay?

He didn't think he would be able to laugh again.

Especially not after he made the worst decision of his entire thirty-year life. He still wasn't 100% sure what set him off. Was it GiGi's sudden urgency to get away from him that pissed him off to go and do _that_? Was it Ms. Joke's quirk? Did she set him up to fall for (and into) her?

Was it the fact that Ginsui went out with another man? One that was clearly broken on top of that. The younger man was small for her taste and yet she seemed enamored by the way his eyes ate her up. Aizawa told himself over and over that he wasn't jealous. But, was that the reason he did something that _bad_?

Whatever his reasoning was, he took out all his frustrations in Emi's bed. He thought that the woman was overbearing before. Would she use this against him? He would have to lay in the bed he made.

How was he going to confront the greatest person in his life? She was so strong. Would this be what broke her?

It was a mistake. Did he even have tell her? He could always pretend nothing ever happened. It wouldn't be hard to pick up the fallen pieces once she was home and safe in his arms. She didn't need to know that he was imperfect. Would Emi let him get away with that?

He didn't think he would be able to laugh again.

Brutal realization of his actions began to suffocate him. He needed a distraction. Maybe the USJ wouldn't be so bad after all.

Ginsui found herself alone again. Now that she was no longer sick, she could focus on getting in touch with her friends and family. Her first stop was to get a new phone. Fortunately, she had a few numbers memorized.

"Hey, Emi. I'm so sorry if I caused any stress. I'm okay. I got stuck somewhere weird because, as it turns out, I was sick. You know, like everyone said. Anyway, call me back when you get the chance. Bye, cuz." Ginsui was relieved the call went to voicemail. She wasn't ready to deal with her best friend's loudness yet.

ZaZa was next. "I...I don't know what to really say other than I'm sorry. You were right. I should have let you drag my dumbass home. I was pretty fucking sick and as far as I know, I'm better now. I hope to see you soon. Bye-Bye, my sugar stick," she sighed after leaving another voicemail.

The last number she had buried in her brain was Midnight's.

"GIRL WHAT THE HELL?! Do you have any idea how worried everyone's been? Aizawa strangled two students today!"

"Oh...well... it's hard to explain. Can we meet for lunch? I need a normal person to talk to right away."

"Normal? Honey, if you think I'm normal then you went through some really crazy shit over the weekend. Want to meet at the café that's near the school?"

"Please!"

Later, Midnight met up with Ginsui and began to ask questions before the sunset-eyed beauty could explain what went down.

"So, how do you feel about Emi and Shota?"

"What do you mean?"

"Weren't you avoiding him after all the attention he gave your cousin?"

"I know I felt crappy when I saw them together, but I think I overreacted. It's okay for him to be happy without me standing beside him all the time. Besides, I wasn't avoiding him. I was sick and stranded in some random place that's apparently a safe space for rejects."

"Oh...umm... I'll need you to elaborate on that later, but for now let's talk about your love life. I don't think you were overreacting."

Ginsui's eyes widened as one of her biggest fears neared reality.

"What do you mean?"

"Hizashi's been heartbroken since that night. According to him, Aizawa stayed over at Emi's," Midnight explained as she twitched her eyebrows in suggestion.

"You're teasing me."

"Why would I joke about something like that?"

"Shit."

"Look, I think you should storm into the school and back-hand him. Warm that pimp hand up and smack the fuck out of him. How he reacts will reveal what happened. If he sighs and wraps you up in his scarf like he does when he's annoyed at you, then we know nothing went down. If he takes the smack like a man and looks like he's about to cry, then well, you know he's a cheating son of a bitch."

"I...I don't even know what to say. It sounds like a plausible idea but the last time I trusted you, I became a stripper for a day."

"I think it's a brilliant idea. I also think this thorn in your unnaturally tame relationship is good for you. How can you possibly know that he's your forever person if you've never given anyone else a chance? Maybe he realized that too."

"If that's true, then he shouldn't have proposed. He should have just let me go. I literally gave him that option not that long ago."

"Men are stupid."

"I hate it when you say sensible things," Gini sighed.

She couldn't even be mad. She wasn't entirely sure he had even done anything wrong, so all this hype could be for nothing. The shock was keeping her cool. They're meal continued in iffy silence until a tornado of fear hit her lungs.

"Hey, is there something major going on at the school today?"

"Media got in earlier somehow. But, that's all been settled now. I know the 1A kids went to the USJ for special training. Weren't you supposed to be there for that?"

"I completely forgot about it actually! But still, those don't usually get too bad. It seems like a bunch of people near that area are wigging out though. Have you gotten any calls?"

Midnight frowned. Ginsui's ESP wasn't something to disregard.

"Oh...I'm not getting any service. Do you have any?"

"I don't have my school phone on me, but this new one I bought is working fine. I think we should go."

Midnight nodded and waved for the waiter.

* * *

"Where are they? I don't see All Might or the Silver Sorceress," Shigaraki verbally mused.

He didn't know why All for One wanted the girl so badly, but it was very disappointing that she wasn't present. Oh well. He'd have fun while he was here.

Aizawa was grateful for the villain invasion. He needed something to rage against. He would be happier if the students weren't in harm's way, but he trusted in their survival. They didn't get into UA for lack of talent.

The fighting was going smoothly considering the building was full of low-level ranking thugs. That was, until an unnatural creature snatched him by his head and began smashing his head in. Stopping the attack on Tsuyu was the last thing he remembered before succumbing to unconsciousness.

Ginsui felt worthless. She could have easily stopped the fighting before it even began had she been at work like she was supposed to be. Those poor babies. All of them having to deal with real-life baddies before they even had proper training. What kind of teacher was she?

Her eyes were glowing with the color of confusion as the other teachers defeated the scared villains that remained. Where was Shota? Her self-depreciation deepened once she found him being guarded by a few of the 1A kids. She was a fucking joke.

"Ms. Gini! You're okay!" Kirishima smiled as he approached her, "I was worried when you didn't show up..."

That was it, that feeling of deceit she caught from him the day of his psyche evaluation. Did he have something to do with her strange weekend? She smiled before leaving with the ambulance that carried Aizawa to the school's hospital wing.

She burrowed her face into his side to muffle her tears. She had been debriefed about the attack. Apparently, she along with All Might were the prime targets. Shota was hurt because of her avoidance with All for One. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she allowed this to happen again. Her being at the school was a huge endangerment.

She didn't even care about the rumor of him and her cousin anymore. If it was true, then she accepted responsibility. She pushed him to that point and now he was gravely hurt.

"Do you remember when we met?" Ginsui began, knowing Aizawa could hear her but wouldn't be able to interrupt.

"That day, I was intercepted by a villain named All for One. He's been after my abilities since my father died. I've been dodging him ever since. The last time I came across him, All Might was nearly killed. Now, his follower nearly killed you and could have annihilated your entire class."

She paused to brush his thick hair off his wrapped face. What she needed to say next was almost too painful for her.

"Shota, I'm going after him. I'd rather see you live than watch all I care for die because I was only caring for my own skin. I don't know if I'll see you again, so this...this is my goodbye. I know I've never said this out loud before, but I can't hold it in any longer. I love you, ZaZa."

And with that, she was gone.

* * *

A/N There are some theories that Kirishima was the traitor. One of the reasons supporting this is about the giant hero living in the woods that looks similar to Kirishima when he's in his Red Riot form. For my plot's sake, they're related. In my head, Kiribaby sided with the bad guys until Bakugo's kidnapping where he officially switched over after that. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.


	12. His Growing Love

I usually don't get time to work on my hobbies like this. So because I've had time, I've been updating like a madwoman. Please forgive me if I go a few weeks without any new stuff. I work and go to school full time. My midterms are coming up, so I may dedicate more time to studying (gross, I know it). This chapter was a lot of fun to write, so it was easy to finish quickly. There is a chunk of NSFW towards the end, so BEWARE. Thanks for checking this fic out and if you get a chance to review, I love them!

* * *

Her Peace

_You caught me off guard_  
_Now I'm running and screaming_

_I feel like a hero and you are my heroine_  
_Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?_

_And I feel a weakness coming on_  
_Never felt so good to be so wrong_  
_Had my heart all locked down_  
_And then you turned me around_  
_I'm feeling like a new born child_  
_Every time I get a chance to see you smile_  
_It's not complicated_  
_I was so jaded_

_~Hero/Heroine: Boys Like Girls~_

* * *

The first thing Ginsui did was go straight to their apartment. She fought tears as she packed her things. She was too old to cry now. She made a little vow: no more tears.

Chonks, ZaZa's juciest furbaby walked between legs as she double checked her belongings. She stared at the beautiful stone on her left ring finger and opted to keep it. It was a gift after all. She'd be damned if her cousin got a hold of it.

"Fuck her and her happy fucking quirk," Gini spat out loud.

Chonks meowed at her before pawing her ankle.

"I know, I know, I'm just being petty. Let me be petty damn it! Take care of him while I'm gone, okay?" Was the last thing she said to the room full of cats.

Next, she headed to Sir Nighteye's headquarters. His agency was the main one she worked for when she was fresh out of school. He found her unintentional knack of getting into trouble humorous and never wasted a moment to tease her about it.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the little lost lamb returning to the flock. I hope you know how much hassle you've caused me."

"I know, I know. I caught some weird bug and was out of commission without a way to contact anyone. I am really sorry."

"As long as you're okay," the lean man said, assessing her quietly.

She was obviously heartbroken about something. Her tone suggested that, but it also hinted at something dangerous. She wasn't done being reckless; however, he knew her well enough to know she wouldn't adhere to any warnings he would give.

So, he filled her in on the current situation with the Shie Hassaikai. Her worries about the masked man weren't for nothing. He _is_ Kai, buy Nighteye advised that he hadn't seen anything major related to him. He suggested to simply be aware of her surroundings.

She wasn't about to tell him how she willingly jumped into the young yakuza's limo because she wasn't "being aware of her surroundings". She nodded, accepted his warnings, and spent a week searching for the many-handed man that had caused Aizawa to suffer.

Shigaraki's face was unseen, but she could tell by his tone that he was perplexed. He heard that some chick had been searching for him. Lo and behold, she found him. He'd have to figure out how.

"So just like that, you're giving in?" He asked the woman after she explained why she was there bothering him.

She looked exhausted. When was the last time this grouchy woman slept more than a few hours? Shigaraki found her boldness liberating, but her attitude was getting old fast. She'd probably be a bit nicer if she would go to fucking bed.

"Look, I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of what I have. Take me to All for One and rid me of this burden."

"Hmmm...you know what? I kind of like you. I don't see why I must tell Sensei that I've collect you. He's not going to bother the school directly now that you're no longer there. Why don't you hang around for a bit? You may even see a new light in the different side of the world you Heroes like to control."

Ginsui sighed. She knew it wasn't going to be as easy as she wanted.

"Fine," she muttered, "as long as you keep UA out of your goals."

"I promise not to kill any kids, but I can't promise that I'll lose interest in them. There's a few I think I could recruit later."

"Whatever, Sir Crustered. Show me where I'll be staying," she sighed.

Shigaraki scratched his neck in agitation.

"Very cute, you little twat. The more I think about it, the less I want to hand you over and give you what you want. Your quirk could be very useful..."

"Ughhh, useful this, useful that, is all I ever hear anymore. Do you have any alcohol? I'd like to drown out the past fifteen years of my wasted life now."

Shigaraki removed the hand over his face so that she could see him clearly. The poor man appeared old for his age due to his lack of self-care. His eyes were a brilliant shade of blood. She could sense a terrified boy deep within his conscious despite the cruel rage that overshadowed it.

"Kurogiri, let her loose at the bar, will ya?" Shiggy smirked.

The two league members watched their newest addition in a mixture of awe and disgust the drunker she succumbed. They had to keep her spirits up or they would suffer the bad side effects if she felt sad. Apparently, she couldn't control her quirk when she was heavily intoxicated. They had the misfortune of getting hit with depression that first night. They found themselves in a puddle of tears as she confessed her love of Eraser Head and how she was probably never going to see him again.

The next two nights were spent with them babysitting a drunk Silver Sorceress. She was entertaining as hell during these moments. The men didn't know if they should stop her or let her get it out of her system.

Shigaraki was currently playing a game of peek-a-boo with her to prevent that embarrassing moment of weakness she forced him to display nights ago. She would burst into fits of throaty giggles that were so infectious that the two villains couldn't stop themselves from laughing too. As pitiful as the trio were, Tomura finally felt at ease. It may have only been for short bursts at a time, but he was thankful for the seconds of happy. It reminded him how good the world would be once he rid it of the Symbol of Peace.

The next day was relatively peaceful since Ginsui hadn't turned up a bottle yet.

"Isn't the Sport's Festival today?" She asked as Kurogiri handed her breakfast.

"Do you want to go?" Tomura asked, interested himself.

"Are you saying that I can go see my 1A babies?!" Ginsui gasped.

"I don't see the harm as long as we're disguised," Shiggy shrugged.

Within the hour, Ginsui looked like a new person. She sported a hot pink to lavender melt hair style and grey contacts. Shigaraki didn't have to be as elaborate since so few would even know who he was. He dressed in a black hoodie that he kept pulled over his shaggy hair. The two blended in without issue as they filled into a packed stadium.

Shigaraki squinted underneath his hood at the whistling girl beside him. She was cheering on Midnight's introduction as loudly as the men around her. At least, he thought she was being too loud until Shoto Todoroki took the lead of an obstacle course.

"GO GO GO TODOROKI BABY!"

If she didn't calm the fuck down, she would bring unwanted attention their way.

"Will you please shut the hell up, Silv?" Shigaraki whispered.

"Aww, let the girl be," a hero with pale-yellow hair and angle-like wings chimed up, "I was enjoying the view."

Ginsui promptly sat down in the seat she was originally standing in. Shiggy was right. Hawks was someone that would see through her disguise. They'd have to leave soon.

Mic's comic relief as spokesman was followed by Aizawa's calm, explanatory tone. Gini could hear Emi's cheery voice a few rows down.

"That's my future husband, can you believe it?" Emi laughed playfully.

Gini's cheerful demeaner chilled. _Aizawa was okay. Emi was okay. _She looked coldly at the ring she had held onto. She thought about throwing it at her oldest and closest friend that had brought about the huge betrayal, but opted to keep her cool.

"Hey, can we go now? I think I've had enough crowd exposure," she quietly voiced to her leader.

Shigaraki nodded and decided that her personality change was related to her quirk; although, he speculated that the commentator may have played a part as well. He'd have to do more research on this newest recruit. She was still a stranger after all.

"Welcome back Shigaraki, Ginsui. The guest you were hunting for has arrived," Kurogiri welcomed warmly.

Ginsui froze as the red scarfed man attacked. His knives never aimed towards her. She stood quietly as they learned of the man's motives. Something about him was familiar. She followed him outside once he and Tomura were done talking civilly. She needed to see if her suspicions were correct.

"You look a little different, Vigilante Stendhal," she began.

"It's Stain now, Silver."

"You didn't attack me back there. Do you think...does this mean...that you think I'm a real hero?"

"I didn't think you of all people needed my acknowledgement. Don't change. If you keep hanging around that guy, I'm worried you'll lose your innocence."

Ginsui laughed, "I lost myself a long time ago."

"No. You've always had your humanity. Stay here, and it'll be taken."

"Stendhal, please take care," she frowned and returned to the League.

"Bottoms up?" Kurogiri suggested.

"Abso-fucking-lutely."

* * *

For the first time since she arrived at the League's hideout, she was left alone. A brief note from Kurogiri let her know that they were visiting "Sensei". She used this free time to send all information she had gathered about the newly formed group of villains to Sir Nighteye. Most of it involved the Nomu's locations and numbers.

She found herself alone again the next day. It seemed to drag on. How much longer until she'd be rid of her quirk? The only way she could sleep was to drink until she passed out and her liver was going to give up if she kept that bad habit going.

"Fuck it," She grumbled and popped open a bottle of Jack. She didn't even bother getting a glass; she simply turned up the bottle and chugged.

Once the bottle was emptied, she stumbled to a nearby garbage can, burped, puked, and passed out behind the bar. Thirty minutes later, she popped up. She sprinted towards the bathroom to relieve her bladder and began to grumble some more.

Noise from down the hall alerted her of the new acquaintances coming home. Making those fools trust her was exhausting. Not getting any breaks from her quirk was even more exhausting though. It sounded like there were others with them this time. She turned the volume up on a speaker to tune out the ruckus.

_Shiggy and his shenanigans again, _she thought with mild humor.

The League was a lot of things, but boring wasn't one of them. She wondered who the new visitors were. She turned the volume back down to eavesdrop.

She instantly recognized Giran's slow slur. She spent many nights seizing his mishandled goods. There were two other voices she happened to know as well.

Himiko Toga and Dabi.

It must have been fate bringing them to her again.

She grabbed the half-empty bottle she had brought and sipped on it. Should she go in there? She gulped the sweet liquor down and took a deep breath of air as the alcohol burned her throat. Her head told her to sit down and remain hidden, but the whiskey told her to go be obnoxious.

She tripped her way to the voices.

"Pfffft," she giggled as she fell through the door.

"Oh God, now's not the time for this shit, Silv," Shigaraki warned.

"I mean...is there ever an appropriate time chapped boy?" She hiccupped as she traded her empty bottle for a new one.

She forgot what she was doing in there. Was it to harass her boss? No, that wasn't it. Was it to ask Kurogiri to do that thing where she would warp from countertop to countertop as Shiggy chased her around? No, that wasn't it either.

"No more. Sober up, you dumb bitch, we have company," Shigaraki sighed and pulled her drink away.

"Yes more. Company! That's why I came here!" She giggled and took her drink back.

"No," Shigaraki mumbled.

"Okay," she waited for his grip to relax before snatching her precious amber colored liquid back.

"YES!" she snorted and quickly drank it before the man could slap the glass out of her hand.

The glass broke against the wall. Ginsui burst into laughter as Shigaraki's nostrils flared.

"I'm so sick of you not taking me seriously, Ginsui!" He snapped.

"Sir, I'll take you seriously when you start moisturizing," Gini smiled and patted his dry face in an endearing manner.

"You fucking bitc—" he began to close his hand around her throat.

"Not to disrupt this interesting conversation, but are you wanting these guys or what?" Giran spoke up.

"Huh?" Shigaraki snapped back to attention.

Ginsui blinked and smacked her forehead, "I keep forgetting that we have people here! And one of them is the sexiest man I've ever seen. Look at him, Shiggy, look at that ocean-eyed devil," she smiled mischievously as she turned his head to the lanky man she was referring to.

She climbed onto the counter and jumped at Dabi. He caught her easily and raised an eyebrow at her drunkenness.

"Long time no see, Ms. Gini. I like the new hair. I was worried about you, ya know?" Dabi scolded and breathed her in as he cradled her. The sweet, tangy aroma of citrus tickled his nose.

"You're soooo warm," she smiled up at him as he placed her down on the ground. Her hands pushed up and under his shirt.

She could feel the rise of scar tissue brush her fingertips. Was it the alcohol or the lack of intimacy that made her act so forward? She didn't care. She wanted a sample of the danger he could offer her.

"What about me, Gin-Gin? I can be warm too!" Toga whined and twirled the woman away from Dabi and into her own arms.

Ginsui smiled sloppily, "Himiko, I never got the chance to thank you."

"Yeah, yeah, saving your life was my pleasure. Will you let me get a sample of your blood as retribute?" The teen begged.

"Of course!" Gini smiled and lifted her exposed forearm, "Slice away, dear."

"All right, that's enough of that," Dabi interrupted. He grabbed Gini by her waist and slung her over his shoulder before Toga could get a decent cut in, "which way?"

And the two went to her bedroom.

"I guess he's in. What about you Toga?" Giran asked.

"Why wouldn't I want to share a place with someone who worked with Mr. Stainy?" She answered.

Shigaraki sighed as his new recruits made themselves comfortable. Maybe Ginsui would be more tolerable now that she had a companion to replace her broken heart.

* * *

She was like a dream come true. Dabi watched thirstily as she slowly stripped into nothing but her boyshort underwear. He took off his jacket to reveal a white v-neck tee and he tossed his pants onto a nearby chair before he climbed into her bed.

She immediately followed. Her feet went straight to his shins where her habit of kneading them into flesh began. He pulled her under his arm and smiled as she fell asleep.

He laid there quietly studying her. His right thumb traced her heart-shaped jawline and carefully moved it up to her full bottom lip. The morning light barely penetrated the thick curtains, but it was enough to wake the sleeping beauty.

She jumped once she realized that her dream of running into the young man beside her was more than that. She carefully climbed away to shower and brush her teeth. Her face relaxed as the steaming water from the showerhead trickled down it.

********NSFW WARNING***********

Warm hands pushed her damp hair from her shoulders and rough lips followed. A gasp of need escaped her trembling mouth.

"Can I have you?" Dabi softly begged as he nibbled on her right earlobe.

Her knees knocked from nerves. She felt like a virgin all over again. No other man other than Aizawa had seen her naked. She let him continue to study her as his hands traced her shoulders down to her waist. Her body was used to different hands, different textures, and...

She gasped again as her eyes locked onto his erection.

Dabi was a good four inches shorter in height compared to Shota, so she expected him to be smaller down _there_ too. She certainly wasn't expecting a whole eight inches to be poking up at her.

He took notice of her surprised stare and hungrily pressed his mouth onto her left breast. She groaned in response and tangled her fingers into his thick hair.

His aura was so infused with her own that she couldn't distinguish between their separate feelings. It was like the time she tried soothing his pain but felt as though she wasn't. Had Aizawa been right?

_Aizawa,_ she thought regretfully.

He had loved her, she didn't doubt that. He had cared for her. However, he was always reserved when it came to expressing his feelings out loud. He was also incredible cautious when it came to anything sexual.

This was different. This was raw. She and Shota had sex because they wanted to. What she was experiencing now was _need_. Dabi's absolute lust for her awoke an internal goddess she didn't even know she had.

She grabbed the towel rack as he hastily bent her over. She felt his hesitation.

"Please," she managed to whisper her consent.

Her hushed tone quickly changed into a deep groan as he tore into her.

She was grateful for the shower's constant lubrication because she had no doubt that his length would have brought her to her knees without it. She felt her face flush as his deep thrusts were almost too much for her to handle.

Fifteen minutes later, he flipped her around and held her up by using the shower wall for balance. He buried his face in the nape of her neck and moaned as her hips hugged his waist. Each jerk of her orgasm tightened around his dick, intensifying his absolute starvation for her. He sighed in relief as his seed spilled into her.

********IT'S SAFE NOW********

Her beautiful blush caused him to smirk in satisfaction. He didn't wait for her to gather her senses. Instead, he began to bathe her lovingly. The kind behavior was starkly different than the roughness he had shown earlier.

Once he was satisfied that she was clean, he grabbed another sponge and handed it to her. Her sunset eyes scanned over every centimeter of his flesh as she delicately returned the favor.

"...does it hurt, Dabi?" She finally broke the sacred silence.

"It does, but I'm used to it."

She felt her throat tighten.

"Am I responsible for this pain, Toya?" She forced herself to say.

He snatched her face and watched her eyes widen in surprise as his fingertips dug into her red cheeks.

"My body's inability to tolerate my power has nothing to do with you. And it's 'Dabi' now, do you understand me?"

She nodded worriedly as his grip remained tight. His brilliantly blue stare forced her heart to beat uncontrollably. For the first time in a while, she felt fear.

They stood there as the hot water trickled across their bodies. Her panic slowly began to rise as she could no longer predict his intentions. She didn't dare use her quirk to calm him. She learned from his father that it was a bad idea to try manipulating a Todoroki. He finally released her once he felt that his point had been made.

Once free, she hurriedly climbed out of the shower, dressed, and found herself pacing around the kitchen. She felt so dirty, but why?

Aizawa had supposedly cheated on her, so she couldn't feel icky over that. Was it Dabi's age? He wasn't a fifteen-year-old kid anymore. Hell, he was twenty-five and made it VERY clear that he could overpower her if necessary.

What kind of mess had she stirred up now? He was Enji Todoroki's son. Temper was something he could have easily learned if not inherited by the Pro-Hero.

She continued to waltz around the kitchen as she debated her morals.

"Whacha doin' Gin-Gin?" Toga perked up as she paced around the room with the muttering woman.

"Yes, what are you doing? I wasn't finished with you yet," a deep voice replied.

"I think you are," she stomped past Dabi and slammed the door to her room in his face as he tried to follow.

The barrier couldn't stop his desire from permeating her senses though. How could he still want her after everything? How could there still be a dominating amount of need coming from him after his brutal display of control earlier?

"I've wanted you for a long time, Gini. You need to get over the fact that I got hurt when you were watching me and my siblings because let me be frank, I'm not going anywhere. Not now that I've gotten a piece of you.

She glared at the door.

_Fuck_


	13. Their Big Secrets

A/N More about Aizawa here and the next few chapters.

This fic is going to get very dark very quickly. Any sensitive subjects will be marked with warnings. This will include suicidal thoughts, drugs, sexual assault etc. We have all been through or have heard stories from friends and family about any of those topics. I have personally dealt with those issues and I've found that writing about it has helped me cope. I have no intentions of triggering anyone and I hope my readers will understand! I will have a few chapters strictly for comic relief cause it's going to be needed! This is the halfway point as of right now! Thank you for checking this chapter out and I hope you like it!

Her Peace

_Watch me, take a good thing and fuck it all up in one night_  
_Catch me, I'm the one on the run away from the headlights_  
_No sleep, up all week wasting time with people- I don't like_  
_I think, something's fucking wrong with me_

_~I think I'm OKAY: MGK, YUNGBLUD, & Travis Barker~_

* * *

~3 Months Later, 1 day before the Forest Arc~

Shinsou pulled his violet hair in frustration. He messed up big time. All he wanted was to be a Hero. He hated the disillusion that his quirk was somehow "evil." They said the same thing about the Silver Sorceress and all she did was save countless kids' lives by removing them from abusive homes. He hated how hypocritical humanity was.

And what did he do to thank one of the few heroes he admired? He brainwashed her boyfriend into cheating on her. Why?

Because some yakuza punk threatened him. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time. He was only passing by Ms. Joke's block party to see if it lived up to the Outburst user's hype when he ran into a man with a thick coat, a lean suit, and a face covered by a festive, plague doctor mask.

The man seemed to know what his quirk was since he targeted him specifically for the request. The yakuza leader insisted that he would wipe out the entire guest list if Shinsou didn't do as he instructed—separate Ginsui and Aizawa. Shinsou did what any decent person would do; he opted to save over fifty lives instead of keeping two lovebirds happy.

The Sports Festival alerted Aizawa of his talents, so the teacher started to go out of his way to help him. Now, he was stuck facing his guilt daily.

"I hope it's not too much hassle for you to come out this way. I'm afraid the only spares I had were in my closet," the teacher interrupted the boy's train of thought as he handed him a scarf.

"Yeah, it's no trouble," Shinsou lazily replied.

He was grateful for the combat help, but did it _have_ to be with Mr. Aizawa? He glanced around the living room. Three cats watched him as he studied a wall full of pictures.

"I haven't talked myself into taking them down yet. I keep thinking she'll come back soon," Aizawa explained as he caught the General Studies student scanning the photos of Gini.

"I can't say I blame you. She's pretty cool. I once tried to use my quirk on her and she didn't have to kick me out because I couldn't even get in. She outwitted me."

"I bet she teased you mercilessly after you tried that. You two have similar powers of manipulation and neither of you wanted to use that negatively. She related to you more than the rest of us. She would have been a great coach for you. I'm sorry she's not here to help."

"Mr. Aizawa, where did she go? My classmates think she got hurt during the USJ invasion, but I don't even think she was at work that day. The principal never made an announcement about her quitting or anything like that either."

"She has a personal mission she needs to take care of. When it's finished, I'm not sure she'll be able to come back."

"Did it have anything to do with the USJ incident?"

Aizawa paused, "It goes back further than that."

"Is she going to be okay?"

"I don't really know, kid. I can only hope."

"Mr. Aizawa...there's something I need to tell you."

* * *

How many weeks had it been now? Or was it several months at this point? Time was hard to keep up with when the Silver Sorceress found herself in a constant state of alarm in a pit of villains.

The League had acquired quite a few members. She played a big part in helping Shigaraki decide on who to keep and who to toss aside thanks to her quirk. She was able to keep Sir Nighteye aware of current events the more involved she was too.

There was only one member that she didn't have any say-so in joining and that was Twice. She knew she would encounter him sooner or later but was surprised by how tolerant he was of her. Honestly, she liked all but two: Moonfish and Muscular. She didn't even learn their real names. Their auras were enough to make her sick, so she spent as much time away from them as she could.

Dabi, on the other hand, never had any issues tolerating all the recruits regardless of their real intentions.

This raised some red flags that she dutifully ignored. So Dabi had no problem hanging out with genuinely bad people, okay. She didn't really care, did she? She wasn't going to be here that much longer to deal with the consequences, right?

All he did lately was smother her with affection. How could she think poorly of him when all he wanted was the sweet bliss her quick could give him? He used her like she had once used Aizawa.

She didn't mind though. The way his bright, blue eyes inhaled her made it worth the exhaustion. God, that man's need for her was beautiful. She loved it whenever he would lick her collar bones, trace her rib cage, and suck on her soft flesh on his way down.

He wasn't that delicate anymore though. His fingertips would dig into her now and his hesitant lips were replaced with skin-piercing bites. She was still trying to figure out the gradual change in temperament. Had she done something wrong?

The closer they became, the more they started to argue. Where ZaZa had been tolerant and patient, Dabi was easily agitated and assertive. The League members knew something was wrong when the Cremation user began to plan a mission and forbade them to talk to her about it.

Gini knew something was going down, but she hadn't figured it out yet. The harder she pried, the farther she got from getting the answer.

Her hormones were getting a little out of whack since she was constantly straining her quirk. The imbalance in her brain made her and more irritable, discontent, and _sick._ She had thrown up twice that day from the vertigo.

The longer she stayed in the hellhole, the longer she was ready to get the hell out and go back to her lemon-scented apartment. Maybe a certain black-haired babe would be waiting up for her. Or, maybe he finally came to terms with his hidden feelings for her cousin and was waiting up for Emi instead. She needed to know. She had physically moved on, but she needed that mental clarity too.

She started to think about Aizawa's tenderness and how she missed it. Dabi's over-protectiveness (re: possessiveness) was getting a bit out of hand and she needed to put him back in his place soon. Her hips, thighs, and shoulders were bruised from his intense sexing for goodness sake.

To keep herself from overthinking, she welcomed the distraction of playing _Just Dance _with the only other females in the League's arsenal.

"Shiggy, how much longer until I can go see All for One?" Ginsui asked in between breaths as she danced around the living room with Toga and Magne.

"There's something big in the works right now. After that, I'll arrange a meeting for you," Tomura answered in annoyance. He scratched at his neck.

How many times was he going to have to repeat this mantra? Why couldn't Dabi just tell her that he was working out a way to piss Aizawa off? Was he really that afraid of hurting her feelings?

"Gin-Gin teach me that dance that American women are so good at!" Toga voiced.

"You're not talking about twerking are you?" Gini giggled.

"YES! That's the one! Show me!"

"You kind of have to have a butt, you know what I mean?"

"And you have one! You're like the only person I know that can do it! Hey, Shigaboss, can you hand me some money?"

Shigaraki huffed but obliged.

"The things I do to entertain you Toga. Don't judge me, Tomura."

Ginsui looked around to make sure it was just the girls and Shigaraki present before she began showing the seventeen-year-old the first step.

She continued to twerk as Toga and Big Sis Magne cheered her on by tossing the bills at her.

Shigaraki laughed maniacally. He was surrounded by idiots. At least they were happy being stupid. It made getting them to work a whole lot easier.

"So, what is this big plan everyone has been so keen to keep from me?" Gini asked as she touched her toes and changed the fast pacing movement to slower jerks on her way back up.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," Dabi answered as he, Spinner, Kurogiri, and Twice entered. Her lover raised an eyebrow before pulling money out and tossing it at her too.

Ginsui blushed and sat straight down onto the pile of cash in a panic, the memories of stripping with Midnight resurfaced. She couldn't believe she let Toga talk her into behaving like that.

"What do you mean?" She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest to regain some sort of control.

"I mean that you're not involved, so don't try to be," he retorted harshly.

_There it is again. That attitude, _she thought bitterly.

"Come show me more," he demanded as he reached out to pull on her shirt and lead them to their shared room.

She pushed his hand away and moved halfway across the room without thinking about how it would set him off. His mouth popped open as if she had slapped him. She had better back track the action or things were about to get ugly.

"Why have you been such a dick lately?" Gini smarted back. So much for keeping things from simmering.

"What did you just say to me?"

"I said what I said, zombie boy." She knew his scars were a sensitive subject. Why did she stoop to name-calling? She felt a bead of sweat trek across her forehead as a wave of nausea hit her.

The man had been getting meaner each passing day. It didn't matter how many times they fucked or how many different and experimental ways they did _those things_, his sharp tongue never dulled. Aizawa never acted so strongly about her.

"You want to do this now?" He _growled_ as he prepared for the long, overdue fight he'd been suppressing.

He glared at her as she bit the inside of her cheek. Did she?

"Yeah, I do! So why are you being a little bitch?" She sassed after debating her next move.

Dabi walked towards her like a panther stalking its prey. The other League members stumbled over themselves trying to get out of the room as quickly as they could. Ginsui tightened her fists beside her and closed her eyes.

She was so sick and so tired. She could collapse right there in a heap of puke. Was this it? Was this the moment that she would see the Endeavor in him? Would he pick her up and throw her like his father had?

Once he was right in front of her, he gently took her left hand into his.

"Why are you flinching like that? Like I'm going to hurt you?"

"You... aren't?"

"Ginsui what the fuck? I could never," he frowned as he realized that his knee-jerk reaction to her getting an attitude scared her. He was not his father. Didn't she know that?

"I'm sorry for being jumpy. I've been feeling out of sorts lately. Please don't take my smart mouth personally."

"I don't. I like it when you get sassy. But, do you know what I do take personally?"

She waited, straining her ears to hear his soft tone.

"This, why do you still wear this?" He asked as he pointed at her ring. His voice cracked.

She frowned. She hadn't given it a second thought. She was so used to having it on, that she had honestly forgotten about it.

"Do you have any idea how it makes me feel when I'm giving myself to you and I look down and see his goddamn ring STILL ON YOUR FINGER? SHIT, GINI, HAVE SOME FUCKING CLASS!"

She coughed to loosen her tightening throat. She felt like a whore. She had made a vow not to cry again, so she'd better get herself together.

"I...I'm sorry. Can I be alone for a few minutes? I would like some time to think about what my actions have done to you," she finally muttered and went to their room.

He had been acting like an asshole the past few weeks and it was all because of the obvious disrespect she had shown him. She'd be pissed too if he wore a gift from another woman while climbing on top of her.

She locked the door and drug out a suitcase. She quickly began to pack it.

She struggled with distinguishing his feelings from her own ever since the day he "died." Due to her quirk's bizarre manifestation with the blue-flamed man, she hadn't realized how into her he was.

She took a deep breath. She had been so busy fooling around with him that she hadn't even taken the time to assess her own feelings about the fresh love. Love? The word hit her hard.

She was falling. She gasped. She was falling for the Todoroki.

This was never part of the plan. Dabi wasn't part of the plan!

She was supposed to infiltrate the League, give up her quirk to All for One, kill him while he succumbed to the horrible burden of empathy, and then go back to Aizawa and talk about _them_.

She heard the way Emi talked about her ex-fiancé at the Sports Festival. Was it true? Had he moved on that quickly? She had.

Her heart was splitting. This type of idiotic triangle happened to teenagers. How the hell did this happen to her NOW?

She couldn't wait for Tomura to give her the okay anymore. She needed to leave and find All Might's archenemy herself and avoid Dabi and the League altogether. Run away like she always did. Run, run, run away.

Then there would still be the yakuza. If she did accomplish her main purpose of ridding the world of All for One, she still had those fucking clowns to deal with.

**** Warning****

Her thoughts started to darken as she comprehended how deep the trouble was that she was swimming in. Her parents had been smart to off themselves. Maybe she should simply opt out of this life and try to do better next time?

It didn't help that she hadn't had a dose of Aizawa's Erasure in months. How else was she going to get her peace?

There were plenty of guns in this sleaze house. She dug one out of her desk drawer and held it up to her head.

All she needed to do was pull the trigger.

_Stop it, _she scolded herself before removing the magazine and emptying the bullets. They clanked to the ground as she slammed the hollow gun back into the desk.

****Safe****

Dabi's knocking on the door brought her out of her suicidal thoughts. Maybe she should go to a doctor for help.

She took one last glance at the beautiful opal before removing it. She stuffed it along with the agency's phone she used for her communication with Sir Nighteye under the clothes she had just packed.

She'd be a goner if the LOV ever found that device. Most would say it was reckless to keep around so loosely, but shit. Part of her wanted to be caught so she could die.

Death would be a sweet release.

Why was she being so dramatic? Was she losing control over her abilities due to the overuse?

She was so tired.

And so nauseous.

She leaned over and puked into the wastebasket beside her. The mental strain from too much use couldn't be enough. No, why not add physical harm too?

"Ginibaby, can we talk now?" The stapled man asked from behind the door.

He was getting concerned. Magne had secretly been filling him in on how often his girl was vomiting lately. He swore he had heard the sound of a gun being cocked. What was that clinking noise? Did she drop something? Were those bullets?!

Ginsui knew that if she replied that it would make what she was about to do harder. She took a deep breath to gather the strength she needed to run. A few minutes later, he opened the door and found the room empty and the window open.

He'd be hurt, but she couldn't say goodbye. He wasn't the type to let her go so easily. She desperately needed solitude. Would he think that she was only there to get back at the League for what they did to Aizawa?

Secretly, she no longer wanted revenge. She was lying to herself if she said she had. She knew she had stayed complacent in a den of vipers because she liked the taste of Dabi's love.

Would he understand that he wasn't safe when her quirk control wavered every other day?

Would he understand that she ran because she was too afraid to acknowledge how easily she fell for him? How easily she, a sensible woman, succumbed to the battered man with a damaged past and darkening soul?

She was so unwell. She was so tired.

She needed a pill, a shot, a _something_ to numb her quirk long enough to get a few nights of sleep. She needed to be rid of the suicidal torment. She needed an eraser.

* * *

"Zawa, Roki?" The doctor asked. Ginsui smiled as her made-up name was called. It made her feel witty and terrible all at the same time. She would be well enough soon.

The female doctor checked over her as she asked routine questions.

"You're here for therapeutic help? You'd be surprised by how many heroes we get needing anti-depressants. Have you taken any before?"

"No, but I probably should have started on them a long time ago."

"I understand. It's hard asking for help. Us girls have to be so strong all the time, it's exhausting. Speaking of women, your breasts feel a bit swollen. When was your last menstrual cycle?"

The sudden change of topic caught Gini off guard. Toga had mentioned her tits getting bigger the other day but she didn't think anything of it.

"... maybe ten-ish weeks ago? It's not uncommon for me to miss one though. It's a side effect of my quirk."

"Have you been using your quirk more than usual?"

"I usually only use it when lives are at stake. But, I've found myself in a certain...predicament...that forced me to use it in large amounts regularly for the past twelve weeks or so."

She took Ginsui's hint. She had worked with several ladies who were undercover, but that didn't change the fact that this particular patient had obviously gotten too close with a "suspect." She noticed the suitcase sitting beside the examination table. Was she done with the mission now?

"So about twelve weeks ago you started exerting more power? I see. Research for the past five years have shown that extensive quirk use can alter the body's chemical makeup. If you were told that you would have trouble having children, then it's possible that upping how often you use your quirk could have corrected your reproductive system thanks to the odd imbalances of your brain morphing."

"Oh," Gini mumbled uncomfortably.

"Are you on or are you taking any contraceptives?" The doctor asked.

"No..." Gini was one-hundred percent sure Dabi hadn't used any protection.

It had been the start of one of their numerous disagreements. He had _scoffed_ at her when she asked him to use a condom. She wasn't some random hoe he was banging, so how dare she act like he should _be safe _he had stated; especially after she mentioned her being sterile.

Stupid Dabi. Stupid her for assuming things and letting him have his way. Wait...she had been with Aizawa unprotected too before she left him. Oh no.

The doctor blinked in concern as she continued to examine the young lady. She didn't overlook the bruises and hickies littering her patient's skin. Her target was that type, huh?

"Here, take this cup. I'll need a urine sample. I need to make sure you're not pregnant before I prescribe you something that could be harmful to the fetus."

Ginsui took the cup with a sour look on her face. When she entered the bathroom, she noticed that she could place her cup in a basket for women who needed help or into a basket for women who were fine. It was refreshing to see that an office like this would look out for desperate girls.

The doctor sighed in relief when she gathered the sample from the 'okay' basket. Maybe the woman had a rough kink or something. Ten minutes later, she confirmed her professional opinion.

"Congratulations, Ms. Roki! You're pregnant!"

"No."

"Yes."

"The answer is no," Gini argued, her tone raising a pitch.

"Ma'am, there is very much a little blob of cells growing in you as we speak."

She wasn't losing control of her quirk. She wasn't going insane. She wasn't making herself sick or tired or extra hormonal. A baby taking root in her womb was causing all the trouble.

Ginsui spent the rest of the visit in a haze. The ultrasound suggested that she was around eight weeks along. The experience was surreal.

The pictures given to her from the session were surreal.

The conversation from the doctor explaining that she could not prescribe any anti-depressants due to the pregnancy was surreal.

Her walk to a nearby park with her six-pound suitcase was surreal.

If she could undo the past three hours of her life, she would. The vibration from her LOV phone woke her from her sleep-like trance.

_Toasty Marshmallow_ flashed on the screen. She threw it on the ground and drug her feet over to a swing set. Kids screamed, ran, and laughed around her as she contemplated her stupidity.

She went back to the phone and decided that she needed to talk about this. It wasn't going to go away.

She skimmed through the numbers and texted Big Sis.

Within twenty minutes, Magne joined Ginsui on the swing set. Out of all the League, Gini like her the most. She was the only one that could keep a secret without blurting it out accidentally.

"Dabi was really restless when I left. I didn't tell him where I was going. As far as I know, he doesn't know I'm with you."

"Thank you, Magne."

"So, sweetie, what's going on?"

"I went to the doctor to get some medication. I haven't been feeling all that well mentally."

"We could tell."

Gini frowned. Was the League that aware of her dwindling mentality?

"I'm sorry if I made any of you miserable. I've been so exhausted that I might have lost a little control and made you guys unwell too."

"Oh honey, we baddies understand. There isn't much you could do to make us feel worse than we've felt before."

"I wasn't able to get the medication I needed Magne. Whatever I've done up until now was tame. The sicker I get, the sicker I'll make everyone else."

"I don't think the illness you have is going to affect us the way you think it is."

"What do you mean?"

"The shock on your face says it all. You have a bun in the oven," the tall woman teased.

"...how can you tell?!"

"Love, you haven't bought any tampons since I've been with the League. Luckily, Toga is too involved in her own little world to notice and none of the men would think anything of it. I'm probably the only one aware if that makes you feel any better."

"You're telling me that you have had suspicions all this time?"

"It did cross my mind a time or two. So, how are you going to tell him?"

"Huh?"

"I asked 'how are you going to tell him?' Are you going to do like a big reveal, or show him the pictures after you two are done making up, or are you going to spit it out randomly?"

"Oh, haha, I'm not telling him."

"...uh...are you just going to pretend that your soon-to-be-huge belly is because of...food?"

"He's not going to notice anything because I'm not going back. My priorities have to change. I can't raise a baby in that house of criminals!"

"You don't think we would be suitable people for a baby? We all have our demons, but some of us are still human and good people Gini! That hurts!"

"I don't want to be mean, Magne! You know you don't count. Twice, Dabi, even Kurogiri would be dependable but the others? They're firecrackers waiting to be lit!"

"Do you really think Dabi would let them touch you?! He would burn the place down along with the entire neighborhood if anyone even looked at you the wrong way."

"That's umm... sweet? And all, but Magne...what if he isn't the father?"

"Excuse me WHAT?" Magne finally lost her argument as her entire assessment of the situation changed.

"I was engaged before I met him!"

"Okay, let's not freak out yet. How far along did the doctor say you are?"

"Eight weeks."

"And how long have you been with Dabi?"

"Like...ten...eleven weeks?"

"Well obviously the Toasty Marshmallow, as your phone has him labeled, is the father," Magne advised as she watched Dabi's number light up Gini's phone.

"Riiiiight. I guess I just panicked. This still doesn't change much," Gini mumbled.

"What ever do you mean, dear?"

"I have some unfinished business I needed to take care of and now I'm not sure what I can do about it."

Magne patted the back of the somber woman's back before answering her own call.

"Yes Dabi, I lied, she is with me," she sighed and hung up as Gini's eyes stared daggers through her.

"Gini are you going to come back with me?"

"No, I'm going to stay a little longer."

"Will you at least call him back? You know how insufferable he can be when he hasn't touched you in over five minutes."

Ginsui giggled, "I'll try." A wave of evil knocked on her subconscious scope.

Before Magne could go, a tall man with eyes as yellow as the morning star approached the swings.

"Ms. Fukukado. I'm demanding payment now," he stated in a low monotone before removing a glove as warning.

"Don't you dare," Gini replied, "I'll come with you, please just don't hurt Big Sis!"

Overhaul nodded and motioned for her to follow. Gini activated her quirk on Magne so that the woman was left in a confused state. She couldn't afford her friend to attack when there were so many children around.

Kai watched Gini whisper something into Magne's ears.

"Ms. Fukukado, hurry up it's getting late. You should also leave that behind. You won't be needing those old things," Chisaki reminded her of his presence and forced her to leave her valuables behind.

She knew a grim reaper when she saw one. Yet, she couldn't make her feet stop following it down the street towards a familiar black limo.


	14. Her Predicament

I'm hoping to make the next chapter a slice of life type of thing to break up all the drama I've caused in the last few chapters (and this one too, I'm so sorry). Anyway, I'm so happy that you've made it this far into my story and I hope you continue to enjoy it! I love any feedback, so if you see typos relationships you want to see, or anything really let me know! I did fix the misspelled names from earlier chapters!

* * *

Her Peace

Ginsui's knees hit the pavement after a white scarf wrapped around her ankles.

"I'm not going to stand by and watch you leave in that limo again," Aizawa's bored voice warned.

Kai Chisaki held back seething anger. His property was about to get away _again_. He turned to grab her to simply throw her, scarf and all, in. Unfortunately, she had already anticipated his movements. She easily rolled away from him and managed to stand up despite the wrappings on her legs and without his gloved hands reaching her.

Once she felt stable, she grabbed his mask and pulled it as far as she could before releasing it. Aizawa was already pulling her away from the masked man, so that he couldn't react without doing something that would bring even more attention their way.

Chisaki sighed in disdain before getting into his ride alone. How much longer was he going to have to wait? His bottom lip began to bleed thanks to that bitch. The moment he finally got her where he wanted her, he would make her beg for his forgiveness.

Gini was unable to comment on her savior's random arrival due to him mummifying her with the rest of his capture weapon. Her suitcase was already in his left hand along with her League phone. He hoisted her onto his right shoulder and carried her like a bag of flour all the way to their apartment.

He refused to undo the binding until he was certain that she wouldn't run. Slowly, he freed her and watched tiredly as she fidgeted with one of the throw pillows on the couch.

"Why do you smell like ash and cinnamon?" Shota spoke up as Ginsui continued to pick at the frayed ends of the pillow.

_Maybe because the guy I've been vigorously fucking does? _She thought in slight embarrassment.

"Does it matter?" She said aloud instead. She couldn't hide the pink from her cheeks. She knew Aizawa had noticed since he raised an eyebrow and opted to change the subject.

"Anyway, Sir Nighteye has kept me informed of your progress. According to him, you're not any closer to reaching All for One than you were when you left. I think it's time for you let it go and come back to the school until we have more information to launch an attack."

"That would be the best thing to do, but you see...I...um...well I don't think it's a good idea for me to be anywhere near a school since I was a target and...now that they had me in their ranks...I don't think he—I mean _they_ will be okay with me not returning soon...you know?" Gini stumbled over her words as she tried to avoid any notion of having another person care for her.

"You're worried that they'll hunt you down and take you out because you'll expose their plans. I get that, but you know I wouldn't let that happen. Besides, I've already made arrangements for you to come along with me on a class trip that's as far from here as we can take the kids," Aizawa explained as Emi walked into the room with nothing on but one of Gini's old t-shirts and panties.

Ginsui rolled her eyes.

"GINI!" Emi cried, "I've been so worried!"

"So worried that you took my place?" Gini sarcastically replied.

"Oh...my attire...this is a big misunderstanding...please stop judging me with those pretty eyes!"

"What is this misunderstanding that I'm seeing before my pretty eyes?" Gini asked in an overdramatic southern belle accent.

"Chonks pissed on me while I was watching the news to see if they had any updates on the LOV."

"You did that for me?" Gini asked the chubby cat. He meowed proudly at his long-lost mommy.

"I knew he did that on purpose! I told you so, Aizawa!" Emi squealed. Aizawa frowned at the purring cat as it climbed into Gini's lap.

"What about the bigger misunderstanding? The one where Nemuri and Hizashi both believed that something went down between you two?" Ginsui asked and pointed to her cousin and ex-fiancé.

"So, he did come over to my place after the party. We also...okay fine we hooked up! I can't pretend like it didn't happen, so stop glaring at me Aizawa! Unfortunately, it turns out that he wasn't himself. He was under the influence of some kid's quirk. Long story short, he was tricked and I took advantage of the situation. Please forgive him. I don't blame you if you don't forgive me though," Emi burst in anxiety.

"So are you two still a thing or like what?" Gini squinted her brows together as she processed the news.

"No," Emi frowned as Aizawa managed an "absolutely not."

"But you want to be?" Gini asked her cousin as she ignored Shota.

"I...do, but he's shot me down every time I've asked. The longer you were gone, the more of a chance I thought I had. I guess I was being too optimistic."

"Oh," Gini replied dryly.

Things were about to get very awkward very quickly if they asked her how she felt about the situation. She couldn't care less about the affair; after all, she had willingly let herself be swooned by a "dead" man under the assumption that Aizawa had cheated first. She had loved him, but she had let that love go. Now, it was evident that his feelings hadn't changed as easily as hers had.

This revelation was making her question the validity of her relationship with the new villains. Had she been pretending to enjoy their company for the sake of not being alone? No; Toga, Magne, and Dabi were real friends. Their companionship was _wanted _and she_ did not_ use them for survival purposes.

She couldn't have. She couldn't be that cold-hearted and selfish.

She desperately wished the two in the room with her would leave her alone for a moment. Long enough that she could get out without getting caught and do that thing she's really good at: running.

The two-month pregnant woman sat in painful silence. Her feet continued to tap the floor in restlessness. She wished Aizawa would erase her quirk for a second so she didn't have to read their emotions.

"Gini...I know you were undercover and that you're not really supposed to talk about it, but are you okay?" Emi finally forced herself to ask.

"Yeah, I'm fine," the woman lied.

"Sir Nighteye said that the last conversation he had with you was off. He said you sounded distant, like you had disassociated. You don't have to pretend to be okay anymore. You're safe here," Aizawa interrupted.

"How many breakdowns did you have while you were there, Gini?" Emi pestered. She had seen Gini overwhelmed. She had seen the worst.

"I didn't have any mental breakdowns. Everything is fine. I'm completely fine," Ginsui argued, forcing the fact that she had almost killed herself earlier that day back to the blackness of her mind.

"I'm not listening to this anymore. I understand that you left out of vengeance, but something has obviously changed. I also know that you were surrounded by aggression and bad people for three months and that alone would drain any empath. After all of that, I can't believe you would lie to us," Shota scolded as he shook her shoulders.

"We can get you help to rebuild your mental health. We even have a psychiatrist ready to prescribe some meds to help you sleep whenever I'm not available," he added.

Ginsui's mouth trembled. How long had he been waiting for her to be seen in public to nab her back? He was so smart. He was so thoughtful, planned, and calculated. It's too bad he hadn't added in the fact that she would go and get herself knocked up.

She couldn't be here any longer. Each passing second implied that she was accepting of the situation. Dabi needed to know. She needed to finish what she started.

She had to get back to the League. She needed All for One, damnit. She needed to see him crumble to his knees in mental agony that only she could deliver. She needed to see him rot in prison...no, she needed to see him rot in an alleyway as maggots devoured him from the inside out.

Everything that happened to her from age fifteen until now had been because of that first encounter with the boss villain. If she didn't see that monster of a man fall from power, then she would never feel free.

Ginsui Fukukado didn't want to hear Aizawa's sensibility anymore. She moved his hands away and nearly made it out of the front door when his palms slammed it shut.

"Quit running," he snarled. He had never used his strength against her before. He never felt the need until now, "Please, quit running, Gini."

He towered over her. His shaggy, ebony hair tickled her face as his leaned in. His onyx eyes stabbed her heart with each unblinking second, but like a moth drawn to flame, she couldn't look away. His grimace finally softened into concern as his stare left her face and locked onto several hickies marring her neck.

"Emi, put some pants on and go. I need to be alone with my Gini."

Ms. Joke wasted no time and was out of their home within minutes.

Ginsui felt the butterflies in her stomach churn in disgust. How could she be so stupid? What would happen when he discovered what she had been doing in her absence? How would he feel once he learned that the person responsible for the markings he found, was the same person whose date he had interrupted by proposing? That she had moved on _that fast._

She never meant to hurt him, but that was what she was about to do. She spent half of her life with the man. She had given all of herself to him without any rules or regulations, but their relationship never seemed to bloom like most. It took him _so long_ to ask her to marry him, that she felt as though he only did it out of courtesy.

She prayed that he wouldn't notice the ring missing from her hand. She had just taken it off hours ago to please another person! Christ, she needed to get her shit together. She wasn't ready for this conversation with Aizawa.

Much to her surprise, he didn't say a word. He activated his erasure to numb her and carried her bridal-style to the bedroom. He carefully tucked her in and released his quirk as soon as he felt that she had calmed enough to sleep.

Aizawa scanned over her napping form. He felt his blood boil with each scratch found. Someone had _touched _her. Someone had _marked _her. Someone had been rough to the point of bruising her and it made him want to shake her awake for answers.

He knew he had to keep his cool if he was going to keep her here. If he got too testy, it would push her in the direction that would only lead to her own downfall. He needed to think logically.

First, he would have to figure out if her damaged body was something she consented to. She wasn't innocent, so she may have found someone wild enough to entertain her kinkier side. He only knew of two members related to the League: a person made of smoke-like material and a man-child. Neither would suit her type, which meant that Nighteye had withheld information regarding new members or that Ginsui had been keeping them a secret. If the brutal sex was what she wanted, he could do that too. He would have no trouble doing whatever she asked as long as she stayed faithful from this point on.

Once he could confirm that, he could try to reason with her. He could try to convince her why and how he was the best thing for her. That he was better than whoever the hell did this to her. If he couldn't do that, then they really fucked her up. There couldn't be anyone in a league of fucking villains that could actually care about her. If she thought so otherwise, then her mentality had really taken a hit. He'd have to send her to a hospital to get her mind cleaned and cleared. Then, they would simply start over.

She would learn what true love was whether it was now or later.

Secondly, he needed to evaluate why she was out during the day with a suitcase. This could imply that she was headed to another hideout OR that something went down and she was running from the motley crew of people she caught herself up with. He had a sinking feeling that it was the latter.

He could find out about both issues if he checked the contents of the bag. He didn't really want to do that out of respect for her privacy, but privacy was tossed aside when she decided to say yes to marrying him and then running away after saying "I love you".

_I love you._

It wasn't something he had told her. She hadn't said it before either until that day he was nearly blinded. They had only used actions to display their true feelings. He always felt that the statement was taboo, that the second he said it out loud that everything he built would be undone. He was right to be afraid though. She said it and then went missing for an entire quarter of the year.

The unzipping of her suitcase wasn't enough to stir the exhausted woman awake. He dug through all the clothes and huffed when he found the opal ring buried deep within them. He tucked it into his pocket and would bring it up in a few weeks. If he did it any sooner, it would seem too desperate.

Each article of clothing reeked of smoke and fireball. Whoever she was getting close with had an affinity for cigarettes and that sickly-sweet whisky.

Then, he found the white envelope. His hands began to shake as he spread the four images out onto the bed. It took him a good fifteen minutes to process what he was looking at. The name ZAWA was printed at the top along with EIGHT WEEKS, 3 DAYS.

She was pregnant and based on the time, it wasn't his even though she used part of his name as her alias. She was gone for Three. Fucking. Months. She hooked up with some random dude and spent two of those Three. Fucking. Months knocked up by him.

If she wanted to break up, all she had to do was say so. Then again, if she wanted that then she wouldn't have told him that she loved him. She wouldn't have agreed to marry him. She wouldn't have let him bring her here.

They had talked about kids and how she wouldn't be able to have them. Her being pregnant was just as much a shock to her as it was for him at this moment. She probably didn't think twice about having a one-night stand after hearing rumor about what he had done with her cousin. Why would she play it safe when the threat of a baby wasn't in her radar?

Suddenly, it hit him.

Ginsui was walking around in public with a suitcase because she was trying to get help. Thank goodness he found her. Any wretched feelings he had been spurning in were dissipated once he realized how awful she must feel. It was going to be a challenge, but he was still going to love her as if he were the one that helped create the baby. It's not like anyone would know that it wasn't his, right?

* * *

It was too bad that the woman had other ideas.

She found herself sitting at the coffee table with a cup of chamomile tea, a selection of donuts, and four pictures of her bean-shaped fetus chilling in her uterus.

"We both made major decisions that brought us to this current situation. I don't care who this sperm donor is. I don't care if you even have feelings for him. I don't care how dumb this makes me look. Ginsui, I can't let you go back there. I can take care of you. You _need_ a safe place. You _need_ real, honest financial, mental, and physical support. Whoever this dude is, is not going to be able to provide that for you when he's working for scum. Think logically about this."

The woman had barely taken a bite out of a custard-filled treat when he started with the speech. She set the yummy morsel down to reply.

"I know you mean well and everything you say is right. There's no way that the needs I'll have soon will be met where I was before. But, I can't accept your help with that. It's not right or even fair for you. You say you love me, but we both know you only love the idea of me. We aren't the same people we were when we met. We're not kids anymore. I messed up and I need to fix it on my own. Besides, Emi is good for you. You don't have to pretend that you don't like her joking with you anymore."

"There you go again with that delusion that you're not —"

"Shota, stop."

"No, you stop. Give this a chance."

"ZaZa, Mic told me that you bought the ring fifteen years ago. If you really wanted me as a wife, then why did you wait so long to ask?"

The sleepy man stared at her. He wasn't sure how to respond.

"See. This 'sperm donor' as you so politely called him, wouldn't have hesitated. He has a bizarre obsession with me that's made me feel wanted in a way that I haven't felt from you in years not counting the one night you finally proposed. I need to make amends with him. We didn't part ways in good terms and I don't want him to hate me."

Aizawa sighed. He knew arguing was pointless.

"Come to the field trip and if you're still set on returning to the League to finish your bullshit after that, then I won't stop you. I promise."

"I really miss the kids. Thank you for inviting me. I'll go to see how much they've grown and to help where I'm needed. But you better keep your promise," Gini replied with her pinky out.

Aizawa intercepted it with his own to seal the promise.

* * *

~Back at the LOV hideout~

"Magne, slow down. Tell us again what happened. No, say it faster with more stutter!" Twice asked the crying woman.

"Sh...she...she was about to be t-t-t-taken by some man with a strange mask. I was going to interfere, but she used her quirk to stop me. I think he...I think she was scared of him. I think he had a quirk that she couldn't risk him using in public. She seemed to know him? I don't know, but I do know that she was going to leave with him, but Eraser Head got to her before she could. He tossed her over his shoulder like she was trash! It was barbaric! Oh no, the baby! What if the way he was carrying her hurt the baby?!" Magne cried out before slapping a hand to her mouth after she realized what she had said.

Dabi, Shigaraki, Himiko, and Twice blinked in confusion.

"Baby? What the hell are you going on about?" Dabi asked first.

"Gini's having a baby?!" Toga grinned happily, "I knew her blood smelled different! I hope she isn't mad at me for cutting her a little too deep the other day..."

"Baby? Cutting? What are you saying Toga?" Dabi tried asking again.

"The Silver Sorceress is having a baby. This is good. She's not going to risk spilling our secrets to the Pros if she has something other than herself to protect. Are you ready to launch your attack, Dabi? You'll be able to get our team's most valuable player back and destroy Aizawa's ego at the same time," Shigaraki suggested.

"Am I the only one that's lost?" Dabi inquired.

The League members stared at him as his brain slowly grasped the fact that the woman he'd had a crush on since day one, was having his baby.

"Congrats on being a new dad! It really sucks to be you," Twice added before Dabi left the hideout, clearly disgruntled.

Touya Todoroki was many things, but a father figure was nowhere on the list. He brought a cigarette up to his mouth as he took a bus to the place he was raised. He stared at the large home as he smoked cig after cig.

Now was his chance to break the abusive cycle. He didn't have to raise a child the same way he was. He didn't have to use his past as an excuse to treat Gini and this _baby_ like shit. Even so, what kind of life could he provide working underground?

He couldn't. He would have to let Ginsui go. He would take care of her needs, God he would take care of those insatiable needs of hers. He would, of course, send her all the support she needed to live like a single mom so that she wouldn't need a roommate (or heaven forbid, another _man_). But, he wouldn't be able to be seen with her. No one would be allowed to know of his existence. It would damage her reputation and it would take away from this child he made with her.

He would have to let her go. However, that didn't have to happen now. She had business with the League and he wanted her to be able to finish that before returning to her fairy tale world of Pro-Heroes. To do that, he would have to proceed with leading the first attack made by the Vanguard Action Squad.

He lit the last cigarette in the pack and carelessly tossed it into the front yard. A small fire began as he left with a devilish grin.

"Shoto did you see what I did? Wasn't there a person there moments before? Am I going crazy?" Fuyumi asked as she and her youngest brother put out the random fire that started in their yard.

"There was definitely a person here..." Todoroki agreed.

What he didn't say, was that the person seemed familiar. He'll have to worry about that another time. He was supposed to meet his classmates at the mall to get things for their trip. He heard that Ginsui was supposed to go. Would he be allowed to ask her where she had been? Would she answer honestly? He knew the stranger that was here had something to do with her. He could feel it in his gut.


	15. His Loss

Okay, so I totally lied about the lack of drama in this chapter. I wanted it to be a simple relationship building thing, but no. I would like to keep this story under 25 chapters, so I needed this one to be a little spicy. I PROMISE my next chapter is a laid back one (if not a tad bit sad tbh). As noted earlier, anything that is off-putting will be marked so it can be skipped.

Disclaimer: I do not own MHA/BnHA content

* * *

Her Peace

_Just because I'm hurting_  
_Doesn't mean I'm hurt_  
_Doesn't mean I didn't get what I deserved_  
_No better and no worse_

_~Lost! by Coldplay~_

* * *

**~L.O.V. POV~**

Dabi double checked the tidiness of his own home one last time before his team headed out. He had rented a place to stay in case things didn't work out with the League. Since his relationship had gotten more serious with Gini, he had already filled it with a few of their possessions. They would get more privacy now and she wouldn't have to deal with the League directly anymore. He could take care of their tasks without her being involved.

The other members were irritated at his rare showings at first, but they soon took his lack of presence as "his thing." After all, they assumed he had only joined to be with Gini anyway. If she wasn't there, then why should he hang out at the dusty bar?

Magne was the only one that knew of his secret apartment. She had helped him with decorating it with things Gini would like. She was also the one that helped him organize their bathroom closet with baby essentials like different sized diapers, wipes, washes, and lotions.

It was a bit overboard, but it was better to be overprepared than to have nothing at all for when the baby got here. Magne giggled mischievously as she folded an infant sized, hooded towel.

"She's going to be so mad at me for telling everyone, but she'll get over it once she sees how they pitched in to support her."

Dabi frowned.

"What if we acted too soon."

"Oh, sweetie! Why must you always be so pessimistic!"

"Why am I so pessimistic? Have you actually looked at my face? The fuck you mean 'why am I so pessimistic?'" Dabi dryly replied.

"Ginsui sees beneath your wounds. She thinks you're beautiful and I see it too. I could swim for days in those eyes of yours," Magne flirted.

"Suuure. But seriously. How much hate do you think she's going to have when we get her back? What if she's happier where she is and pushes me away? Her ex can provide the lifestyle that she needs. This is only temporary, remember? We agreed to cut her out once she could get back on her feet. She doesn't need to be associated with us."

"Can't I just have a little joy with this, please?" Magne sighed before following the captain outside.

* * *

~**Forest Arc**~

"I forget how necessary her quirk is until we get stuck with forty hormonal teens to deal with," Vlad mentioned as he and Aizawa ate in isolation from the students.

They were watching Ginsui share a story with some of the girls. She was speaking animatedly and her eyes turned a brighter shade of orange with each new detail. Her audience's faces changed from concern to excitement to joy within minutes as her plot thickened. By the end, all nearby were rolling in laughter. She faked a smile as she carried a bucket of food to the next table where she pulled Kirishima aside.

"She is a necessity. I wish she could understand that," Aizawa agreed as his eyes narrowed in on the woman speaking concernedly with the red-head.

He knew she was faking patience as well as happiness. He knew she was wanting to leave as soon as she could. He respected her space, but he would need to act more pointedly if he was going to convince her to stick around. He managed to talk her into taking the color out of her hair so that she was a natural silver again, so surely he could talk her into wanting him back, right? If you could talk a woman into changing her hair color, you could do anything. Or so he hoped.

Ginsui sighed as she felt Aizawa's stares linger. She wished he would stop caring. She was hoping this trip would help her forget about the presence growing within her, but she was being naïve. The danger she dodged by leaving the League was catching up to her thanks to the kid she was about to talk to.

The Red Riot tried to play it cool as Ms. Gini peered over his shoulder. She knew. She totally knew.

"Kirishima, we need to talk," Gini whispered after seeing the teen send their location details to Shigaraki's number.

She suspected that the tank of a kid had something to do with the USJ invasion and now she had proof. He was a good kid, so something was wrong with this situation. Did she need to tell Shota?

She debated the predicament later that night while Aizawa rubbed her shoulders and back before bed. She originally detested the idea of sharing a mat with him, but he insisted that if she wanted her quirk to be erased for sleep, then she would have to compromise. She did what anyone that was desperate for peace would do: she kept her mouth shut and snuggled up close.

His presence was a sudden change from what she had spent the past three months beside.

She had gotten used to Dabi's hot temperature. He was a skinny boy, for sure, but she didn't mind that. She had enough meat on her bones to cushion herself from his bony hips. She enjoyed the way his piercings and staples rubbed roughly on her soft skin. It reminded her of their cursed past and their present affection. She loved that he was only a few inches taller than her. It made hugging and snuggling each other easier and _damn_ they fit so well together.

She loved discovering him physically and now she was back here. All of that fresh adaption just to be held by someone whose body was thoroughly different—a body she had memorized and once loved.

Now, she longed to be away from it.

Aizawa was well-toned and hit her curves much differently than Dabi. The muscle in Shota's arms didn't comfort her the same way that Dabi's textured skin had. Currently, she was freezing and she longed for the Blueflame user's perpetual heat.

Aizawa was happy to have Gini beside him, even if she was distancing herself mentally. She was safe here. Maybe this trip would help her return to her old self. Maybe being around decent human beings would bring her back to a happier reality. He couldn't undo her pregnancy, but he could undo the manipulation the father of the fetus had over her.

"Shota, there's something I need to tell you. It's about Kirishima..." Ginsui said after finally deciding to confess her concerns. She hoped the conversation would stop her from missing Dabi.

She explained her findings and was pleasantly surprised that Shota took her seriously. By the third day of camp, she felt sorry for the kid. Aizawa was keeping him preoccupied and drug a few of the other students along to make it seem unsuspicious.

That night went similarly to the previous one. Ginsui tried kneading her feet into her ex's shins, but it didn't provide the same satisfaction as it had once before. What was she thinking agreeing to this? Was she this desperate for sleep? God, she was. She had an absolute need that only his quirk could provide; so, here she was giving him all the attention he craved all so she could rest.

It was obvious that Aizawa was trying to win her over and she was just letting him have his way. Truthfully, she had deeply considered his words from a few days ago. She seriously needed help for this baby. If Aizawa was willing to do that, wasn't letting him have her back the first step?

Faking affection wasn't a hard thing to do and honestly, she didn't have to pretend. She could relearn the feelings she once had. The longer she stayed away from Dabi, the better this would be.

The baby wouldn't have to know about its origin.

Ginsui audibly gagged just thinking about keeping that a secret from the League. The fact that she was willing to simply forget Dabi and keep his parenthood from him made her tremble in nausea.

She didn't want that burden. He would find out somehow. He had zero hesitations from doing dirty work, so there's no telling what he would do if she went through with that idea.

"Shota...I'm sorry but I'm not feeling very well. I'm going to the bath house to see if it'll help me settle down," Gini huffed before escaping his tight embrace.

Three days had passed before the League saw their missing comrade. They didn't expect to find her at the forest with the 1A and B students. They were going to get her from Aizawa's apartment after they completed this mission and hopefully spare her any involvement with the planned attack.

"This puts a dent in the original plan," Dabi sighed as he, Spinner, and Toga peered out at the campsite from a cliff.

"Why don't we try to talk to her? Maybe she doesn't want to be here and is planning her own little escape. She's good at those!" Himiko grinned.

Dabi nodded and followed the blushing teen to the camp. The two watched Ginsui talk with the erasure hero. They could see into the room and noticed that they were sharing a sleeping space.

"Oooooh I see why Gin-Gin likes him! Look at that scar on his face! I wonder what it looked like when he bled from it!" Toga grinned as she spied on the camp's guests.

"Keep it quiet. We don't need them to know about us yet. We're only this close to talk to her. Then, we're going back to our station where we will wait until later to attack. Do you understand?" Dabi warned Himiko.

The giggling girl smiled as they neared the bathing area they had seen Ginsui enter minutes before. Their travel was cut short when Shoto Todoroki appeared.

* * *

Ginsui wasn't satisfied here, but she needed to stop being so selfish. She had another life to think about.

She didn't want Aizawa to accept her fickle love though. She wanted him to stop caring. It wasn't fair for him!

However, she could make herself fall for him again and then everything would work itself out. If she could get over the fact that he messed around with her cousin, then she could relearn her love for him. If she could disenchant herself from the new Touya, then she could do this.

So what if he couldn't provide the passion that Dabi offered? She didn't need that. She needed consistency and reliability. The wildness she craved from the younger man wasn't something that could sustain her needs for long. Aizawa was an obvious win-win for her.

"Ughhh," she moaned as she continued to argue with herself. She was so smitten by Dabi that she was starting to hallucinate his aura being nearby.

_Oh no,_ she thought as she realized that she wasn't making the feelings up in her head. He was definitely nearby and with a goofy teenager tagging along.

She groaned again as she dipped her feet into the steaming water. She needed to forget about the young patchwork man and that was impossible if he was just going to pop up wherever she went!

She needed to focus on rekindling a relationship with Aizawa, for fuck's sake.

"What are you doing up so late, Ms. Gini?" Shoto Todoroki asked as he snuck into the women's side of the room.

She stifled a scream at his appearance. She was so zeroed in on the villains approaching, that she had completely overlooked Shoto's aura among them. He was feet away from two League members and had no clue. She had to play it cool or the villains would react poorly.

Her eyes widened at his bold move, but softened once she realized how determined he was to find her. She had been avoiding him the entire time. He clearly had questions and she wasn't ready to answer them. So, he waited until she was alone and couldn't sneak away. It was her fault he had to search her out this way.

"I made a mess and I'm trying to figure out how to clean it up," she answered as she tightened the towel around her nude body.

"Are you feeling okay?" Shoto asked, completely oblivious to the fact that he was making her uncomfortable. He could only see her as a nanny, so he didn't think twice about the situation.

"What do you mean?" She replied.

"You haven't eaten since we got here. I noticed you leaving with a garbage can after dinner yesterday too. Do you have a virus or something?" Todoroki politely albeit bluntly asked.

"Something like that, I suppose. It isn't contagious if you're worried about that."

"I don't think the teachers would let you stay if it was contagious. Also, Kirishima has been quieter than usual. Does it have anything to do with you talking to him yesterday?"

Goddamn the boy was too perceptive.

"A little, but I was a too late it seems..." Gini trailed, splashing the water with her feet. She hoped he would get the idea that she wanted to be alone, but she knew better.

"Are you and Mr. Aizawa getting back together? Mina and Momo have been gossiping about it."

"I...that's part of the mess I mentioned earlier..." Ginsui sighed.

She hated the fact that the two spies were close enough to eavesdrop.

"I'd feel sorry for Mr. Aizawa if Touya was still here," Shoto stated.

"What makes you say that?" Gini encouraged, peering outside.

He thought about the figure he and his sister had seen sneaking away the other day. It had given off strong vibes the same way his older brother had when he was alive.

Gini took the mention of the long-lost brother as the reason for Shoto Todoroki being here. He wanted to talk about his dead brother and it was nearly impossible to get her alone to do so.

Ginsui invited him to sit next to her by patting the ground. He quietly obeyed. Any discomfort she had before was gone. The poor boy was clearly needing to get this subject off his chest.

"Do you believe in love at first site?" Shoto asked the follow-up question.

"Of course. As an empath, I've seen it happen."

"Did you notice that with Touya?"

"I may have read his attraction for me, but it was only a cute crush," Gini explained.

"How could that be all you felt? Ms. Gini... he loved you the second you stepped through our front door. Maybe you were too focused on the job to see it properly. It doesn't matter, really. You can ask Natsuo and Fuyumi if you don't believe me."

"You...really think it was that deep, huh?"

"Ms. Gini his jaw nearly hit the floor when he saw you. He was my age then. I haven't experienced that level of attraction yet, so I know it was more than just a childhood crush. If he was so stunned by you then, I can't imagine what he would be like if he were here now. You wouldn't have had to wait fifteen years for him to ask you to marry him the way Mr. Aizawa did. He would have begged for you the day he finished high school. You'd have at least four kids by now," Shoto rambled.

Ginsui felt her heart stop and her face blush. Dabi had liked her that much?

"How do you know about Aizawa taking forever to propose?" Gini asked.

"Mina has her resources," Shoto explained.

"She's...wow," Gini sighed.

"There were two things my brother liked the most about you. Do you want to know what they were?" Shoto asked, trying to get her back to the topic he went in there for.

Ginsui felt her face get hotter, but she nodded anyway.

"He loved how you always danced. It didn't matter if you were cooking, cleaning, or even running errands. You were constantly moving and it fascinated him."

_That explains the date then,_ Ginsui thought patiently as she waited for the boy to continue.

"The other was when you helped him go to sleep. He couldn't wait to go to bed. He couldn't wait for you to soothe his pain. We didn't know at the time that it was your quirk, but he knew you took his hurting away. He loved that someone could bring him a level of comfort he hadn't experienced before."

The last sentence was spoken with such determination, that she knew there was more involved with the statement.

"Shoto, are you wanting to know if I was able to do that in the end?"

"Please tell me that he didn't suffer," he whispered.

"I...I soothed his soul. He's happier now that he's free," Gini answered, looking towards the entrance of the forest rim where she knew the person they were talking about was hidden.

She couldn't tell him that the boy he admired was now a man built on self-destruction. She _definitely_ couldn't tell him that his brother's soul was getting more than soothed as he fucked the absolute brains out of her on the regular.

He wanted to know that Touya died peacefully and the little white lie couldn't do anything but help him accept that.

"Thank you for listening to me, Ms. Gini. I hope you feel better soon," Todoroki shared a rare smile before leaving her alone.

Shoto contemplated the conversation as he headed back to the area Ragdoll had marked for the Test of Courage. He had a nagging suspicion that Touya hadn't died that day, but he had nothing to go by. Gini saying that he was "happier free" suggested that he wasn't suffering, but it also hinted that he wasn't dead like his family had been told.

What was the woman hiding?

Ginsui ducked her hair into the water as she fought back her desire to cry. She came here to convince herself to try it again with Aizawa and the young Todoroki just had to barge in and remind her that no matter what she chose, she would never be able to run from her past.

"Us Todoroki's can't seem to stay away from you," Dabi's deep voice warned her of his entry as she popped back up from the water.

Gini stared anxiously up at the man standing over her. His eyes gleamed mischief and she could see the smirk hidden behind the staples.

"You're not here because of me, are you" Gini asked, fearing the worst as she thought about Kirishima's text.

"No, Silver Sorceress."

"Then why?"

"Are you disappointed that you're not my priority right now?"

"I don't really care what your priorities are Dabi, but since you're here there's something I need to get off my chest."

Dabi lifted a brow. Was she going to tell him about the baby?

"I just want you to know that I wasn't running away from you forever. I know I left in a horrible manner and I'm sorry. I wasn't feeling well and needed space... Dabi...I didn't want to hurt you. I couldn't tell you goodbye then and I don't think I ever could. There's no way that I would be able to look at you and tell you that I'm not coming home again. Especially now that... now that..." she couldn't say the words. She couldn't confess the secret.

"If you mean what you say, then why haven't you come home yet?" Dabi coldy replied. He wanted her to be honest and stop beating around the bush.

"I've only been gone a few days and I've been supervised the entire time," she sighed. She didn't want to argue.

"Is that so? After seeing you all hugged up with your ex I was thinking that you were really hoping for a quiet get-away with that Pro. Have you had your fun with danger and you're ready to toss me aside?" He asked as his voice darkened.

Ginsui wanted to punch him in the throat. If he was going to be an asshole, then great. It would help her get over him easier.

"If you're going to act like that, then fuck off," she smarted as she splashed water up at him.

Her eyes doubled in size when she realized her mistake.

Dabi reached down and snatched a fistful of her silver hair. He knelt down so his face was level with hers. His grip tightened before he leaned in and hungrily bit her bottom lip.

"Babygirl, I've missed that sassy mouth of yours," he moaned into her lips.

He quickly undressed and dipped into the bath with her. She blinked in surprise and worry. Ragdoll, Pixie-Bob, or Mandalay could walk in at any moment.

***NSFW content***

"There's something else you're not telling me," Dabi whispered as he pulled her underneath him, his hips already trapping her in place.

Her face was a delicate shade of pink as she chewed the place on her lip that Dabi had bitten seconds before.

"Tell me," he encouraged, his shaft rubbing against her inner thighs.

Ginsui swallowed as she fought back nerves.

"Ms. Gini, I'm waiting" he whispered in encouragement again, this time pushing himself fully into her with a single movement.

She gasped as his pace quickened.

"Please, Ginibaby, I need to hear it from you," he asked as his voice rasped from how good she felt.

"I...I...I'm...having...your...baby..." she finally choked out the sentence with each of his thrusts.

He smiled as he pulled out, switched their positions so that she was on top, and re-entered her with ease.

"Say it again. Tell me that you made me a daddy," he asked as his fingers dug into her ass as he helped her bounce on him. He frowned as she suddenly froze.

***SAFE***

Ginsui screamed as she shoved Dabi's head into the water to hide him from the approaching abomination.

A Nomu with large, bat-like wings flew towards her. It grabbed her out of the water and pulled her away from the man who was still trying to process what had happened. Gini managed to snag a towel to wrap around herself as the creature continued to drag her out of the bath house.

"You fucking asshole! You used me, you fucking USED ME!" She screamed at Dabi as the monstrous creature took flight.

She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that she had fallen for someone who would manipulate her like this.

She heard Mandalay relay a message alerting the campers that danger was here. According to Dabi, she hadn't been a target and the feedback confirmed that. So was someone using him too? Was her accusation towards him false and made solely out of her own fear?

No. Dabi had willingly showed up at the League's base without knowing she was there. He was going to be part of the villainous crew no matter what had happened between them. And now she was stuck housing someone that would share half of his genetics. She was an idiot. A absolute, fucking, idiot.

She tried beating at the creature's legs with one arm as she held the towel with the other, but it was futile. She was already too high in the air to land safely. She continued to scream and hoped it would alert the others. She saw Aizawa race underneath her, but it was pointless.

Dabi stared in utter rage as the beast took his new family away. He had a Nomu prepped for the attack and _that_ was not it. Shigaraki used him and now any love Ginsui had for him was gone. What was he going to do now? He had to pursue the plan even if it was earlier than he wanted. The sooner he got this shit over with, the sooner he could go after her.

Aizawa couldn't comprehend what was happening. At one moment, GiGi was relaxing in a bath and the next she was being flown away with a creature that was immune to her quirk. He promised her that she was safe. He promised her that he was going to make her better. The sooner he got this shit over with, the sooner he could go after her.


	16. Her Rage

Okay, readers! I have two different ways I want to take this story (based on how the last chapter ended hint hint). If you could please review or send me a message letting me know your reasons for reading this fic, it will HELP ME SO MUCH ASHDFKALJDF (sorry) on deciding on who the OC will end up with in the end! I still have about ten chapters to go, so I'll use what you guys recommend throughout. This will be my last update until I get the feedback I need to continue!

Thank you for taking time to check this story out! ^.^

Disclaimer: I do not own MHA plots. Also, parts of the canon have been altered for this chapter!

* * *

Her Peace

_Me, me, me against them_  
_Me against enemies, me against friends_  
_Somehow they both seem to become one_  
_A sea full of sharks and they all smell blood_

_~Fly: Nicki Minaj & Rihanna~_

* * *

"Hope you didn't get too comfortable having her back. I don't think it'll happen again as long as I'm alive," Dabi smirked as his clone melted away after battling Aizawa.

He would have felt more satisfied with antagonizing the Pro had he not been worried about where Ginsui was being carried off to.

Aizawa grimaced as he made the connection. _That_ was the guy responsible for Gini's change in affection and mentality. The dude was physically damaged and he reeked of ash. How could she possibly find him appealing when she had _him_. This enemy wasn't someone to take lightly. This meant that it would be hard to bring her back to reality as long as the young man meant what he said.

Ginsui's cursing blasted through the trees as the winged Nomu carried her to the location it was instructed. It dropped her carelessly onto a cliff top alone where she could see the forest's damage.

"What the fuck? Is this what Dabi was planning without me?" She grimaced as she secured the towel around her.

All she could feel was chaos and fear, emotions that Dabi and his comrades had stirred up. She was bitter. How could the sweet boy who only wanted to keep his siblings safe turn into such a cold-hearted savage? How could she have let his old innocence affect her to the point of blind affection?

Her eyes transformed into a dark shade of grey as she carefully released a wave of calm to help the kids regain control and focus on their situation. She hated being naked, alone, and confused. She stood there trying to process what had happened to bring her to this low point in life.

"Gini! We didn't expect to find you up here!" Toga let Gini know that she wasn't alone anymore as the survivors of the Vanguard appeared alongside her.

"Are you okay," Dabi asked as he instinctively lifted a hand to her stomach.

"Don't you dare come any closer," she warned, her grey eyes darkening to black as she lifted her own hand towards him, threatening to rock his world with the emptiness she held at her fingertips.

Before he could reply, Mr. Compress along with Deku, Shoji, and Shoto landed roughly by her feet.

"And WHO are you?" Ginsui asked the newest League member as he poofed out of a marble next to her.

"No time for pleasant introductions, my dear," Mr. Compress answered as he walked towards the other members.

Ginsui was about to argue the matter when Kurogiri pulled her into a warp to isolate her from the students and assailants. She reappeared in her old League room and immediately noticed how most of her and Dabi's things were gone.

"At least there's still some clothes," she sighed as she pulled on one of Dabi's v-neck tee's and a pair of her old, cotton, short-shorts.

The others hadn't shown up yet. She desperately hoped the kids were safe. She also hoped Dabi was too, even if it was because she wanted to dump his villainous ass.

The next thing she did as she gathered her bearings, was send all the information she had on the Nomu storage facilities and all the League's hideouts to Detective Tsukauchi and update Sir Nighteye on her whereabouts since it was his agency that she was "operating" undercover with this entire time.

Lastly, she searched for Shigaraki to see if he was distracted enough for her to form a counterattack. She located him playing a game in his room while talking on the phone. He had All for One on speaker so she was able to hear their conversation.

Apparently, he had just stolen Ragdoll's quirk and had her hidden at one of the Nomu places about five kilometers away. This was perfect. She could finally go after the horrible man and she knew exactly where to find him.

Once she was at the facility he spoke of, she searched for Ragdoll using her quirk. She only needed to follow the scent of pain and vulnerability. After searching for at least ten minutes, she found the petrified woman. She quickly used her quirk to numb the negative feelings and waited. All for One had to be nearby.

* * *

**LOV Hideout**

"Sounds like they're back. They better have gotten my two big players," Shigaraki sneered to himself as the noise coming from the bar interrupted his game.

Tomura joined the party at the bar and sat across from Toga. He looked at a trapped Bakugo and looked around for Ginsui.

"Where's my support player? Where's my mental healer?" He asked Kurogiri irritably.

"She should be here. I sent her to her room," the warper explained.

"Gini?! Come out here now!" Shigaraki called but received no answer.

"Kurogiri are you sure you didn't fuck up?" Dabi asked after a few seconds of no reply.

"Gin-Gin must really hate us now. I bet she left once she realized where she was at! I really wanted some more of her blood too. She's so rich in flavor thanks to her quirk!" Himiko swooned as she thought of the missing woman.

"I bet she ratted us out to the hero agencies! No, she wouldn't be a snitch!" Twice offered up his split opinion.

"Never mind her for now. Bakugo, do you want to know why you're here?" Tomura began his hero-hating speech.

* * *

**All for One Location**

Ginsui checked her location to see if any civilians were nearby. She sensed five auras hidden behind a wall to her left. There was another person hiding in a building across from her and there were three pro heroes standing openly beside her own hidden form.

She began to formulate a plan when All for One appeared. She watched the Best Jeanist readily attack, but it wasn't enough. The earth surrounding them flattened as the shell of a man let loose a savage attack. In that single blast, the pros were wiped out.

Ginsui was going to have to fight the beast alone; however, it was better this way. She wouldn't have to worry about them getting in the way or stopping her from letting him catch her. If her plan was going to work, she needed him to take her quirk.

The commotion must have been grand enough to alert the media because a news chopper was on site within a few minutes of the slaughter. She hated the idea of being caught on camera, but that was inevitable at this point.

She snuck over to the number four hero and whispered for him to allow her to use his threads. He understood quickly, and soon she had a web of threads decorating the crumbled landscape that she could easily access once she needed to dodge the villain's vicious assaults.

Mt. Lady watched Gini quietly move about to set up her snares. She remembered the silver hair from when she was a young teen. She had a lot of trouble adjusting to her giant-sized quirk and one of the few people that helped her cope with the pain of being huge had been a social worker named Gini.

"...Silver Sorceress...is that you?" The giantess whispered at the woman getting ready to make herself known to the enemy.

"Oh, you remember me Yu? It's been a decade, but I'm glad to see how awesome you've become. You always get my vote when it comes to popularity contests. Keep up the good work. I'm so proud of you," Ginsui winked as she tugged on one of the Jeanist's threads to flip her way up and towards All for One.

Mt. Lady watched in amazement as the Silver Sorceress effortless flipped through the air like a circus gymnast. The sunset-eyed woman hadn't worked in real combat in over a decade, but the years had little effect on her reaction time.

Flip after flip dazzled the sky-high camera and all the viewers tuning in on the action thanks to the cover.

It was at that moment that a black, gelatinous like substance materialized the League of Villains members to their location. Ginsui nearly tripped at the sudden arrival, but she couldn't let the fact that her old friends/new enemies were watching.

She ignored Magne's cries for her to stand down. She needed to focus for this to work. With each cartwheel, backflip, and somersault, she felt her abdomen cramp. She ignored the tightening sensation and reminded herself that she was almost done. If she could hold out a little longer, she and the baby would be safe soon.

"What the hell are you doing, old lady!" Katsuki Bakugo roared as he watched a defensive quirk user going one-on-one with a villain that looked strong enough to take on All Might.

"I got this, King Explosion Murder," she laughed as she pulled the threads she had been carefully weaving around All for One tight.

The deformed mutant of a man fell to his knees. She purposefully let his arms remain free so that he could snatch her. She was worried that he would fall for her ruse, but he was so eaten up in his obsession to have her, that he thought she had messed up unintentionally.

Bakugo watched in worry. He had suspected that Ginsui had been working with the villains ever since she missed school during the USJ attack and didn't return after that. He really hated her when she came back along with another attack. However, the pieces of the puzzle began to shape up for him as he watched her go after this villain. She hadn't been the mastermind behind the assaults. She was working undercover, and this meant that backup in the form of All Might would be coming soon.

Ginsui released a sigh of relief once she confirmed that the enemy was unable to break the threads. He was stuck from the waist down as she carefully approached him.

All for One began to softly applaud. The sound sent chills down her back. Had he expected this? Was she being naïve to think that she had bested him?

_Fuck_ she thought nervously. She had better get this over with now.

"Were you so desperate to stop me, that you didn't finish your trap?" All for One teased as he waved his arms around.

Ginsui feigned fear as the man grabbed her by the neck and pulled her closer. She held onto his forearm as he continued to lift her.

"Fifteen years, Ms. Fukukado. Fifteen years, Silver Sorceress. Fifteen years you've spent dodging this moment and now...YOUR POWER IS MINE!" He laughed as he absorbed her quirk and tossed her away.

"Ms. Gini!" Bakugo yelled as he watched the quirkless woman be thrown.

She brushed the dust off as she stood back up, unphased from the rough landing. She filled the damaged area with her rich, unexpected laughter. All those present stared in worry. Had she finally lost her mind?

"I'm free! At last my mind and soul can be at peace," she continued her maniacal laughter.

"Gin-Gin?" Toga frowned as she watched the normally cheerful woman fall into a fit of insanity.

The other League members shifted uncomfortably at the odd behavior.

"Hey Dollface! Come here," Dabi called out over her giggles.

He needed to get her far away before she did anything stupid. It was obvious that she wasn't thinking straight. She shook her head violently and continued to shake with laughter as she pointed to the boss.

Her laughter rose to high pitched cackles as All for One collapsed in withering agony.

"What is this?! What have you done?!" The big villain moaned, "You bitch! Get them out! Get them out of my head!" He raged as the emotions of every single person within three miles beat into his consciousness.

"It hurts doesn't it?" Ginsui finally stopped chuckling enough to speak.

"It hurts knowing that the kid in the back of the ambulance on Sixth Street a mile from here is dying and he's so scared. It hurts knowing that the teenager on Kawasaki Avenue is about to get raped and you're too far to stop it from happening. It hurts knowing that the neighbor two streets over is about to catch his fiancé cheating on him," she verbalized the last emotions she felt before All for One took her power.

"Shut up!" All for One shouted at her, "how do you get them to shut the hell up?!"

"You can't. You just learn to tune them out and focus on the ones that are more important to you. While you're at it, why don't you tell All Might when he gets here that his worry over the kid is unnecessary. That you've been brought down by a fucking empath, you sorry piece of shit," she spat as her laughter began again.

The man began to scream in pain.

"What's wrong? Is it All Might's anger you sense creeping up at the speed of sound? Is it scaring you? Poor thing," she smiled at the broken form.

The League members mumbled to themselves as they watched their boss's boss sob like a child. Is this what Ginsui had been fighting with every day? She had such mastery over her quirk that she acted like any other person; yet, All for One couldn't even move from the ground from the weight of everyone's issues sitting on him.

Ginsui took a slow step towards the fallen figure. Now was it. Now was her chance to kill him.

"Ginibaby, what are you doing? Stay still or I'll come over there and we both know you don't want that," Dabi warned.

She ignored him as she walked to the enemy, a smile sketched across her porcelain face. She raised her right foot and smashed the emotionally broken man's head into the ground.

"That's for kidnapping me when I was fifteen."

"Ginsui! Stop this immediately. If you continue this, you will forever make an enemy of me!" Tomura exasperatedly shouted. He needed her in order to keep his newly acquired allies. They loved her and he valued them.

She flipped the bluish-haired man off and smashed All for One's head again as her terrifying smile vanished.

"That's for nearly killing All Might after the second time you took me."

"Ginsui, please! This is the last warning!" Shigaraki yelled as he stepped closer to her.

"Get bent," she snickered as she raised her foot and brought it back down again, this time pressing his sensei's face deep into the rubble where she rubbed it into the dirt and grime.

"And this. This is for turning all those petty criminals and lost children into Nomu monsters!" She snarled as she unconsciously thought of Tomura and how this person was responsible for how the man-child turned out.

"You...you bitch!" All for One finally spoke out before grabbing her ankle and easily snapping it in his grasp.

Ginsui gasped in pain as he brought her down to his level.

"You can have this back, Silver Sorceress!" He yelled before slapping her across the face and forcing her quirk back into her.

"No," she quietly cried as the world's problems pooled back into her.

She had let her pent-up hatred of the man consume her and now she had lost the upper hand. He laughed as she held out her arms in front of her stomach as he punted her like an American football.

*****Sensitive Information*****

She doubled over as the cramping in her abdomen worsened. She could feel a warm, sticky sensation run down her thighs. She turned away so that Dabi and Bakugo were furthest from her line of view.

*****Safe*****

Luckily, All Might arrived before anyone could take any real notice of her state.

"Ginsui!" Dabi called out as he watched the woman roll on the ground in pain.

"I'm fine, asshole," she mumbled as she motioned for him to stay away.

She was happy that Magne was the only one close enough to see the truth. Magne grimaced at the lie. How could she act so foolishly when she had another life to protect? Had All for One damaged her senses when he stole her quirk? Was Ginsui that desperate to bring down the big boss?

Magne frowned as she realized that she had never bothered to ask what Gini was doing with the League to begin with. The woman didn't exactly fit in, but everyone seemed to gravitate towards her nonetheless. Was this something that happened with empaths? Did people naturally go to them regardless of beliefs?

Ginsui slowly scooted farther from the place All Might landed. She needed to hide and assess her damage taken. Maybe the baby was still okay. Maybe the blood was coming from the surface of her skin and not from within her.

All Might was here, so she would be okay. Bakugo would be okay. Everything was going to be okay. Gini could no longer keep her no-tears promise. She began to cry as the reality of her recklessness set in. She was going to have to answer to the ocean-eyed Todoroki for disobeying him and potentially harming their little one.

"Tell Dabi I'm sorry," she whispered to Magne as her abdominal pain sent her into unconsciousness.

* * *

When she awoke, The League and Bakugo were gone and All Might was losing strength rapidly. She forced herself to stand back up and block flying debris from hitting the hidden woman she had sensed earlier. Ginsui needed to do something or things were going to look bad for Pro Heroes.

Her eyes morphed into the copper shade her father had. The red-orange tint was the perfect mix of anger and courage she knew All Might needed to win.

"Beat him, All Might!" She cried at his broken form. She placed her palms onto his back to intensify her abilities.

Soon, other pros appeared. She felt the warmth of Endeavor's flames as he lifted her away from the fight.

"Eraser Head is going to have one hell of time rehabilitating you, huh? But first, let's get you to a hospital," The Hellflame user scolded.


	17. Her Scar

This chapter was an absolute beast. The next one is going to be hella fun though cause I'm bringing Joke back and the girls are going to have nothing but fun and pleasant bonding. ESPECIALLY after this hell I drug Gini through here. There will be quite a few sections marked with warnings.

TL;DR: Please skip this chapter if you're not ready for angst. Baby Todoroki is okay. Dabi and Gini are not okay cause she did something spicy with Aizawa. The next chapter is a 1 month time skip.

Thanks again for taking time to read this fic!

* * *

Her Peace

_Now did you think it all through?_  
_All these things will catch up to you_  
_And time can heal but this won't_  
_So if you're coming my way, just don't_

_~Bad Blood: Taylor Swift~_

* * *

"Endeavor, what the hell are you doing?!" Kamui scolded the #2 Hero as he watched Enji drop the trembling woman for the third time.

"It's my quirk...my control is slipping. You need to stay back," Gini moaned as she clutched her head.

With each pinch of abdominal pain, Gini released a pulse of anxiety. She had experienced a taste of emotional freedom long enough that the retrieval of her quirk was damaging. The two Pros clutched their stomachs as they felt the light-haired woman's soreness spill into their own senses.

"I have an idea. Knock me out," she begged, "if I'm unconscious, then my quirk won't get in the way. Please, I really need to get to the hospital about my...stomach...pain," she trailed.

Kamui nodded reluctantly before obeying her plea. Three hours later, Gini woke up alone with the doctor she had spoken with during her last checkup.

"So your real name is Ms. Fukukado, huh?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'll get the big scare over with first. You are still a little over two months pregnant. I see that you experienced some cramping and bleeding but all of that is completely normal and unrelated to your battle with that terrible person. You and the little one are both in pretty good condition considering what you pulled off out there."

Ginsui sighed in relief. It was one less worry to deal with.

"Also, your ankle has been healed without any issue. You'll be able to walk by tomorrow. We've given you a type of sedative that focuses on suppressing your quirk. The effects will wear off within a few hours. Because of how your mind works, we're going to have to isolate you in your own psyche ward until you regain control."

"...I understand," Gini mumbled.

_A psyche ward? They think I'm fucking crazy. I guess I would too if I saw myself kicking an enemy's head in like the way I was. _

She recalled what Stain had told her months ago. The thing about losing her humanity if she stuck around that League for too long. He had been right.

* * *

**-1 WEEK LATER-**

"How are you feeling, GiGi?" Aizawa asked as he erased her quirk.

"I could be better," the irritable woman tartly replied.

"Can we...talk?" He asked in exasperation as he tossed another blanket over her.

It was at least 72 degrees F (22 C) in the room. Why was the woman so damn cold?

"What do you have on your mind?" She asked in between her chattering teeth.

"Us?"

"Again with this?"

"We never really...tried..."

"Look, the baby isn't yours. I'm a little on the crazy side right now and you have an Emi who will love you till you die, so you can stop fretting over me," she spat.

She couldn't believe how easy it was to push him away. She didn't want him staying with her for the wrong reasons. She needed to deal with her pregnancy her way and on her terms. The only way she could do that, would be to get rid of the men controlling her.

Aizawa's left eye twitched. She was the absolute worst at communication when she didn't have her quirk to manipulate the listener. To think he had _loved_ this woman. This mean, dismissive, cold-hearted woman.

"Your pregnancy had little to do with me wanting to help you. You're making it impossible to reason with you," he sighed.

"That's what I've been saying, so bye," she sighed back as she waved her hand in dismissal.

His eye twitched again. She had just gone through something traumatic and he would have acted just as cold. She could still be the tinder-souled person she had been before. He needed to be more patient.

"You've changed," he frowned.

Ginsui looked away.

"I know. The old me is gone and I'm sorry about that ZaZa."

"Why do you apologize like that? Like my love is fragile? I accept that we'll never be at that romantic headspace like we were in the past. I will take all the blame for taking so long to tell you my true feelings which led to you moving on. I will always care for you. Please know that, GiGi."

He inhaled her citrus aroma one last time as he pulled her into a hug and released his quirk.

Ginsui felt a pang of regret for the lost love she shared with the man. Had she let him go too soon? He was her first love. He _taught_ her how to love. He _taught _her patience. He brought awareness to her self-worth and he brought her peace.

She clung to him before he could let her go.

***NSFW LIME***

She dug her fingers into his hair, pulling out his hair tie as her lips fiercely ate his neck up. A soft gasp escaped the surprised man. He was wide awake now and fully aroused. Gods, he missed her.

He had missed the way her voice mewed with each of his well-placed kisses. He had missed the way her eyes would roll in ecstasy with each of his careful thrusts into her wet warmth.

It was all coming back to him now though.

He took her forwardness as approval to continue his next action. He readily gave into her demands as he effortlessly removed her loose clothing. He paused as his eyes consumed the bare body he hadn't been able to touch in _months_.

He hated seeing the lingering bruising her random fling had left on her; however, he refused to let it stop him now. If he said anything about it, it would push her emotionally away again. He had to keep her here beneath his fingertips a little longer. Even if he knew it would be for the last time.

Aizawa quickly pushed her onto the bed and spread her legs. He moaned as she pulled him down to bite and claw at his shoulders with each of his deep plunges into her. The minutes ticked by and the two made up for the lost time they were separated.

***SAFE***

Soon, the two had reconciled their relationship. They both agreed that it would be better to only stay as friends considering that the two had made decisions that interfered with ever being romantically involved again. She would never be able to get over him sleeping with her cousin and he would never get over her lapse in judgement with sleeping around with a villain.

He hoped she would eventually talk to him about her pregnancy though. She would still need help and maybe him stating that they would remain platonic would help take away the pressure of her not wanting to ask for his help.

"I was supposed to tell you before that whole thing, that today was your last day of therapy with me. You get to move into a hall with other residents now. Please try not to be too controlling of their feelings," Aizawa spoke up as he brushed his fingers through her tangled hair.

"I'm not going to make any promises," she smiled as she snuggled underneath the arm he had draped over her.

Another hour passed before he worked up the courage to say his final goodbye.

"Seriously though, take care. I'll see you around," he shared a faint smile with her and headed out.

* * *

**-The Next Day-**

It was weird being around other people again. Fortunately, the residents kept their distance out of fear of her. That is, all except one.

Rei Todoroki examined the obviously tired woman sitting on the other side of the room. She liked the beauty from the moment she walked in. This had to be her! The one Touya mentioned all the time! Although, she looked awfully young to be in her thirties.

Rei dismissed her rambling thoughts as she approached the woman. Ginsui observed the white-haired beauty getting closer to her. Her face was so much like Fuyumi and Touya's that it was unnerving.

"Mrs. Todoroki?" Gini accidentally blurted as the woman took a seat beside her.

The older woman smiled, "That's me. You must be the Ginsui Fukukado my Touya talks about whenever he visits."

Ginsui frowned at the present tense wording. Maybe she was a little on the crazy side...

"He was always so sweet to me..." Gini trailed as she thought about the fifteen-year-old version of him.

"Yes, he used to be so empathetic. He's quite the opposite now, isn't he? Not a shred of emotion unless he's pushed into acting out. It seemed that you were helping with that for a while...but he's relapsing into numbness. His health has deteriorated this past week."

Gini squinted at the woman. Maybe she wasn't crazy. Maybe her son had been talking to her since he'd re-labeled himself.

"I'm not sure...what you mean..." Gini decided to backtrack.

If the woman was just saying things in random, it would be a bad idea to even hint that her "dead" son was very much alive. Conversation like that was always a no-no with mental patients.

"Gini, may I call you that?"

"Yes ma'am."

"You don't have to be so afraid of me. I know everything, dear. So please, tell me. How is the baby? I think that's why he isn't doing so good."

Ginsui waited before replying.

"Are...you...has Dabi been here?" She whispered as she looked around to make sure no prying ears were near.

"Touya has, yes. That's what I've been trying to tell you."

"H...How?"

"He sneaks in from the window, silly," Rei answered as she tilted her head in concern.

Touya never mentioned Gini being slow. Maybe she wasn't dumb as much as she was worried.

"I'm sorry to leave in the middle of this...talk...but I'm not feeling very well."

"It's okay, I understand. I had the worst morning sickness when I was pregnant with him. I was always so cold too. Which was weird since I don't actually tolerate heat very well and always loved the cold. I bet your little one has a fire quirk then," Rei sighed in disapproval as she pointed to Gini's goosebumps.

"...I'm not...I'm not pregnant," Gini squealed before sprinting to her new room, slamming the door.

She examined the windows and used her extra bed sheets to seal off any possible way of entry. She had NO doubt that if Rei knew this much about her, that Dabi would know where to find her now. She was NOT ready to deal with him—NOT after she had literally just done what she did with Aizawa 24 hours ago.

Gini tossed and turned in intense discomfort that night. She shivered uncontrollably despite the three blankets she had buried herself in. The cold wasn't the only thing keeping her awake though. Much to her dismay, her paranoia wasn't for nothing.

The smell of melting metal alerted her of _his_ presence.

"Oh shit," Dabi coughed as his flames began to burn the sheets Gini had used to seal off the windows.

Ginsui ducked under her bed as he distracted himself with putting out the small fire. Fifteen minutes later, he walked around the room, his feet pausing at the edge of her bed.

She held her breath, but her godforsaken trembling from being too cold gave her away.

"You're acting like a child, you know that?" Dabi stated as he drug her out from underneath her hiding place.

She unintentionally relaxed at his warmth. He smirked as he tucked her back in.

"You know why I'm here," he spoke again as he returned to the edge of her bed so that he could stand menacingly over her.

He was always so blunt, always so to-the-point and had absolutely none of that candy-coating nonsense. Ginsui swallowed as his turquoise eyes glared down at her.

He didn't feel like the same man from their first date. He didn't feel like the same man as the one she spent every night (for three consecutive months!) being intimate with. He didn't even feel like the same man from that night at the forest.

No, this person in front of her felt demented. He felt like Enji Todoroki and her heart sank. She was no longer safe with him.

"Well?" He asked, his eyes lowering towards her stomach.

There was no way that she could ever go back with him. If she told him that the baby was okay, he would take her back then and there. She could NOT do that when his temperament was so vastly different and utterly endangering. For Baby Todoroki's best interests, she told the cruelest lie she could.

"I miscarried," she whispered, refusing to make eye contact.

She had received a shot to suppress her quirk a few hours ago and the effects were starting to kick in. Now, she could no longer read the broken Todoroki's intentions.

She was terrified.

Rei had warned her that Dabi was crumbling during his girlfriend's stay at the hospital. Gini should have taken it more seriously. She shivered as his normally lazy gaze widened before the mental breakdown overcame him.

He climbed onto her bed and pinned her down before she could make a run for it.

"How could you do this? You knew you were pregnant and you still went after Shigaraki's boss. What the hell were you thinking?" His voice was cold and steady despite the furry he held in his eyes.

The staples on his wrists cut into her own skin as he continued to pin her down.

"What was I thinking? You do understand that literally NONE of this would be happening if you hadn't woken me up that night months ago. _I_ wouldn't have lost my fiancé. _I_ wouldn't have missed school that day Shigaraki attacked the USJ. _I_ wouldn't have gone after that psychotic man-child because of that incident and then _I _wouldn't have ran into you again. Then _we_ wouldn't have made such a reckless mistake!" Gini vented.

Dabi's mouth twitched into a snarl.

"_You _came to me first. Sorry for caring enough about you that I didn't want to see you get duped by that Pro."

"That's not even...ugh that's not even what I'm trying to get at," Gini sighed.

Dabi pulled himself away from her and chose to sit in the floor beside her instead, taking her right hand with him so that he could fidget with her fingers.

"You just called the precious life_ I_ gave you that _you_ lost a mistake, so please tell me what the hell you are trying to get at, Ginsui," Dabi replied.

"The baby wasn't a mistake. I was referring to our rushed relationship. I would have never let us be a thing if I had known that you were going to attack a bunch of kids. They're fifteen- sixteen year olds! They were your age when THAT happened to you. What we made wasn't a mistake but all the events leading up to it were," she whispered as he continued to play with her fingers.

"I can fix this," he blinked as his mind succumbed to a crazed state again.

***WARNING***

He hastily pulled her shorts off before should could react.

"Wait! Wait!" She pleaded with him before he stuffed her shorts into her mouth to shut her up.

He quickly restrained her arms by tying them up above her head so that she couldn't push him away. He wasted little time with removing his own pants before climbing back onto the bed with her. Gini attempted to kick him away so that she could knock some type of sense into him, but he was too steadfast for her sluggish movements. Her quirk was too dull to use, so she was trapped.

Dabi looked down at her smugly as he rested on his knees. He carefully brought her legs up so that her heels rested on his shoulders. His fingers delicately rubbed her shins as his cobalt eyes consumed her.

"You will always be the most beautiful woman I've shared this part of me with. There's no way I could ever settle after you. Ginsui Fukukado, I need you," he spoke in easy seduction.

His voice was of velvet and she hated him for it. She hated how her body longed for him even when her mind begged her to not give in.

"Nod yes so that I can have you, Babygirl, and I promise to be gentle this time," he commanded.

Gini didn't know if it was survival or her deep, unnatural feelings she had for the man but either way, she nodded.

He slowly inserted his throbbing shaft into her _all too_ welcoming slit. Something didn't feel right. She should have been tighter since he hadn't been inside her in over a week.

He froze as he remembered his mother mentioning how Gini's ex had been in charge of his girlfriend's rehabilitation.

Gini's knees began to tremble as she watched the realization dawn on his face. He knew. He fucking knew someone else had invaded his space.

"Doll face, you didn't..." he frowned in disgust before pulling out, putting his pants back on, and stomping around the room. His hands pulled at his black hair as he paced around and around.

His mannerisms reminded her of his teenaged self. She should have warned him. Oh wait, she tried and he shoved her goddamned clothes in her mouth.

"Touya, maybe it's time for you to go," she whispered after she managed to tongue the clothing free from her mouth.

***ADDITIONAL WARNING: BRANDING ***

She instantly regretted speaking. The man was back on top of her and the gag was reinstated. He ripped her top off and violently held her legs down with his knees.

"I told you, Ginsui. My. Name. Is. Dabi," he sneered.

He lit his left index finger and held it over the center of her chest and began to burn the kanji form of his name into her flesh.

She screamed in agony, but her cries were hushed by the gag. Tears fell freely as the damage of her stupidity became permanently sketched over her heart.

***SAFE***

"I bet he won't fuck with you now," Dabi snickered.

He undid her binding and rubbed his thumb across her face to wipe away the tears. Suddenly, he became aware of his crazed behavior and jerked away from the woman he so passionately cared for.

"Oh my God, Ginsui. I don't...I don't fucking know...what I did," panic finding a place in his voice.

Reality set in for him. He had messed up plenty of times before, but nothing compared to this. What the actual fuck was wrong with him? He wasn't Toga or Jin or anywhere close to the deranged state of mind Tomura was in, so what happened?

Ginsui shook like a leaf in the wind. She wanted to hate him. She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to punch, kick, and hurt him as badly as he had hurt her; yet, that hate couldn't compete with her empathy.

The young man had suffered so much. It was only a matter of time before he slipped. She needed to hold herself accountable for what happened tonight. She willingly allowed him to be a part of her even knowing how unwell the man was. She was reaping what she had sown and she needed to help him.

"It's okay, Dabi," she cooed as she searched for a balm to soothe their physical wounds.

She stopped thinking about her own discomfort as she assessed her intruder while his head was buried in his arms. His scarring appeared to have been neglected from his usual self-care routine. The flesh around the staples looked inflamed and the man looked as if he had lost another five pounds.

She gently catered to him until her quirk kicked back in. She was able to bring him back to a solid state mentally and he appeared to be his old, apathetic and sarcastic self before she moved on to his next issue: food. She snuck them down to the cafeteria area and fed the ridiculously starving man.

Once she felt that he was stable, she coaxed him into leaving her.

"I don't have complete control of my quirk yet, so I can't heal you as much as you need. You'll have to leave me alone for a while. I'll come to you when I'm ready, okay?"

"You promise, Ginibaby?"

"Of course," she lied as she hugged the man goodnight and goodbye.

"I'm sorry about the baby. I should have protected you," Dabi replied as he climbed out of the window.

"Everything's going to be fine. And please start tending to your wounds again," she replied.

He gave her a half smirk and with that, Dabi was gone and none the wiser that his little love was still growing in her womb and that she was a terrible liar.

* * *

A/N: Please Review if you get the chance! I have 2 endings in mind and it depends on if the readers are here for Aizawa or if they're here for Dabi. (Kai plays a huge part later on too btw)


	18. A Hawksy Halloween

Y'all! My best friend, smile-lifegoeson has a couple of really cute Bakuraka fics, so if you put those babies on a boat and ship them, please go check them out! Anyway, this is part one of a break from the seriousness. It's supposed to be fun and I hope I did okay with that since I'm more of an angsty type of person. Thank you for taking time to read this!

* * *

Her Peace

-**Two Months Later (October)**-

"Please, please, please, please, puuuhhhllleeeease!" Emi begged her best friend, "When's the last time you went out and actually HAD FUN?"

"Do you want me to be honest?"

"Well, yeah babe!"

"That night ZaZa proposed to me and it was because I was being spontaneous and meeting someone random and nothing to do with him," Ginsui sighed in shame.

"Okay, so let's fix that and go to this Halloween party! Just us girls. I want to see my best friend smile and laugh with authenticity again. I miss it. I'll even use my quirk if you get too overwhelmed! You won't regret it, I promise!" Ms. Joke pleaded.

Ginsui pondered the idea. She really hadn't been herself the past few months. She'd been so worried about everyone else. A break would be...nice.

"You're right, cuz, let's spend some quality time together. It's long overdue."

The two met up with Nemuri and they spent the rest of the day searching for costumes. The trio decided to take on a DC approach. Emi found a black and red jester costume suitable enough to pull off as Harley Quinn. Nemuri giddily acquired a very daring Poison Ivy costume and lavish red wig. Gini decided to go for a skin-tight black, leather suit with patchwork stitching* and a matching cat-eared hood for a wilder looking Catwoman.

They were beyond ready to celebrate Gini's comeback and decided to have a sleepover at Midnight's place since it was the closest to the venue.

"Hey, what's up with _that_?" Midnight gasped as she pointed to the vivid scar on Gini's chest once she had changed into some pajamas.

"A reminder of what happens when you fuck with the enemy," Gini sighed, "it was worth it though. He was—"

"—A hot-as-fuck man that knew how to give his pipe?" Nemuri finished in laughter.

"Among other things, YES!" Gini giggled back.

"So why aren't you drinking with us? You've never been one to skip a chance to get the spins," Emi commented as she and Midnight took another sip of their champagne.

"It's...big news and I need you both to not yell at me for the love of all things holy," Gini stated.

"Oh shit," Nemuri spoke first as Emi inhaled sharply.

"I'm expecting. I'm actually four months along," Gini blurted and closed her eyes.

"That...explains...a lot..." Emi finally voiced, "but you know what? I get to be an Aunt! Well sorta, but you know what I mean!"

"You're not...mad?" Gini smiled sheepishly.

"Girl, you were told that you couldn't have kids so as far as I'm concerned, this is a blessing!" Emi replied.

Nemuri watched their interaction. She wasn't sure if it was a good idea to point out all the negatives. If Emi says it's all good, then she would go along with it too.

"So, tell me about this Hawks kid. I've been missing out while I was away," Gini asked as she snacked on her second bag of Kinokobo while Midnight took a shot from Joke's bellybutton.

"He took a work study with Endeavor a few years back before starting up his own Agency. Ever since All Might's broken form was exposed, Keigo Takami, as you know him as, has risen in popularity and has a chance at nabbing the number two spot!"

"Keigo is Hawks?! I honestly thought he was a lost cause when I dealt with his pre-teen self. He gave me quite the hassle back in those social work days. His childhood was...pretty much one of the worst I had been exposed to. I'm glad to see how much he's grown. I can't believe I'm just now making the connection!"

"Yeah, he's quite a playboy now. He's notorious for springing interviews on pros he sees around. Don't be surprised if he corners you at this party he's throwing. It's probably the reason he's doing it to be honest," Nemuri added as she poured a glass of plum wine.

"Fantastic," Gini rolled her eyes as she recalled the time she had spent with Takami. The boy had been gayer than a rainbow sprinkled with glitter, but he enjoyed teasing her all the same. Perhaps he swung both ways and she hadn't realized it.

_Oh well. He can't bother me if he can't find me. I'll be too busy having fun and being on the move, so he won't have much luck isolating me, _Gini thought innocently as she spent the next three hours trying to fall asleep.

* * *

**-LOV-**

Dabi sat in dull silence has Kurogiri fixed him another mixed drink.

Had it already been two months since he'd last spoken to her? He kept his promise about taking care of himself. He hadn't used his quirk at all. So far, the scars had lightened up to a soft pink and he was even able to remove the staples on his face and neck.

But did it even matter?

_She said she would come to me, but was she lying?_ Dabi thought pathetically as he nursed his third glass of fireball and coke.

"I heard a RUMOR!" Magne excitedly entered the bar with Toga bouncing by her side.

Dabi raised an eyebrow, but remained uninterested otherwise.

"It's about a woman with curves for days, hair paler than the moon, and eyes as yummy as orange sorbet!" Toga giggled as she twirled around Dabi.

The two women knew the man hadn't been his usually snarky self since his last encounter with _her_. He mentioned the loss if the fetus and didn't say anything else about that matter. The girls hoped to bring him out of his slump. How else was he going to get Gini back? Sure, Tomura hated her guts, but the rest of the League were sympathetic to her seemingly abrupt actions and wouldn't mind having her return. After all, she was the one that kept them from losing their minds.

"Apparently, Hawks' agency has set up a Halloween party. The young pro himself begged for her to go ever since that bad ass fight she had with All For One. Said something about her showing up would boost his popularity," Magne elaborated even though Dabi hadn't asked.

The scarred man snorted.

"She got her ass handed to her," he replied as he took another sip of the cinnamon drink.

"Only because she let her feelings get in the way. She brought awareness to how valuable less flashy quirks can be _and_ she did it all while wearing one of your thin v-neck shirts and a pair of tight short-shorts. You can pretend like we don't notice her banging body all you want, but what she did was better than any fanservice I've seen and I'd be happy to take your place any day," Spinner explained as he dodged the glass Dabi threw at him.

"Where's this party taking place?" Kurogiri asked, curious about the news himself.

It would be an opportune time to get her back. He needed her to revive Tomura's mind back into a somewhat normal place. The man was crazy; but, staying in his room murmuring about the pros and cons to killing off the best support player he had was on the extra side.

"From what my sources say, it's happening around the concert stage at Dagobah park. There's supposed to be a haunted house, a couple of live bands, food stands, and a lot of other spooky-themed venues," Toga rambled on in excitement.

"What makes you think she'd go? She hates overcrowded places," Dabi mumbled into the new drink Kurogiri prepared.

"Yeah, but her cousin doesn't! I totally saw her begging Gini to take Hawks up on his offer. I may have followed her for a little bit. She was released from the hospital today BTDubs!" Himiko grinned devilishly.

"This could be your chance to remind her of what made her love you," Magne added to the sulking man quietly as the other members talked among themselves. She was the only one he told about his savage attack on Ginsui.

"You think my scars are faint enough to cover up with that foundation makeup chicks wear?"

"HELL YEAH I CAN MAKE THOSE DISAPPEAR. AND LET'S GET RID OF ALL THAT COLOR IN YOUR HAIR. WE CAN'T BE TOO CAREFUL GOING INCOGNITO!" Magne exclaimed.

With that, Spinner, Toga, Magne, and Dabi carefully schemed. They readied costumes appropriate for hiding their obvious traits that would get them caught if seen. The idea to get into the party would be to register themselves as an up-and-coming band.

They knew Gini loved music and Dabi couldn't forget how into Aizawa she had been when she watched him play his guitar. He could too, so it was time to show her a side of him she hadn't gotten the chance to see yet.

* * *

**-7PM Dagobah Park-**

"Aww look, is that Ochako and Katsuki?" Nemuri asked as she, Emi, and Ginsui neared a Fortune Teller's tent.

"It is. I wonder if they're finally seeing each other. You know what that means?" Gini suggested.

"That you win that round of our shipping playoffs," Midnight sighed and handed her foe some money.

Uraraka was wearing a ballerina costume while Bakugo sported a black shirt, jeans, and an orange hoodie.

"How's it going, little loves?" Gini asked the couple as she and her own friends took their spots in line.

"This is NOT a date, so stop thinking it!" Bakugo yelled in response.

The brunette with him frowned and crossed her arms. Her thinner than usual attire was making her a little uncomfortable and she was still irritated with her _date_ for rushing her here and making her forget about her jacket.

"My bad," Gini replied and held her hands up in defeat, "I thought I was the only one cold. I'm glad I'm not alone," she turned her attention to Ochako.

"You shoulda brought a jacket Roundface," The loud boy scolded before taking his own jacket off to cover her.

"Not a date, huh?" Emi teased as the couple entered the tent.

Soon, it was Emi's turn to see the fortune giver.

"Most young women are here for one thing, so I'll cut to the chase dear. It looks like you are destined to be with a...man...whose initials are AS."

Ms. Joke laughed, "Wish me luck convincing him that," as she left for Gini to take her place.

Ginsui took a seat and casually held out her palms, not really knowing if that's even what she was supposed to do.

"Oh," the teller gasped as she jerked her hands away from Gini's.

"I'm so sorry, I don't really know what the protocol is for this..." Gini blushed, embarrassed that she upset the professional sight-seer.

"No, it's just that, I don't usually get such a strong reading."

Gini giggled nervously.

"You don't have to be dramatic; I know it's only for fun," her laugh fainting at the woman's ashening face.

"The man you're supposed to be with is TT but that can't be right. My vision is showing me that he's dead, I don't understand," the woman whined.

Gini snickered again.

"Yeah, don't worry about it," she said before standing up to leave.

"Wait! That's not all I saw! Please, heed my fortune!"

Gini froze. Tonight was supposed to be more fun and less worry. More fun! Less worry! How dare this lady stop her?

"Please make this quick," she suggested as she faced the crazed woman again.

"I see a bird balancing itself between scales. It's an omen that your life is being controlled by something other than fate... Perhaps you shouldn't go chasing birds, Catwoman," the medium warned as Gini turned away.

Gini burst into deep-bellied laughter at the words.

"I knew Keigo's punk ass would find a way to prank me here," she giggled as she rejoined her girlfriends outside.

The soothsayer frowned in agitation. _Of course_ this woman thought she was a joke! If only she had met with her outside of this stupid party, then maybe she could have gotten the proper warning across.

As the night lengthened, so did the cool air. Ginsui found herself shivering despite being well-covered.

"Maybe you should get a spicy meal?" Nemuri frowned as she watched her friend shiver. It was barely colder than 60 degrees F out here.

Gini nodded as she headed to a stall serving hot soups. As soon as she sat down on a nearby bench with her food, she was approached by Enji Todoroki.

"Ms. Fukukado, may I sit with you?"

She nodded reluctantly. He was the very last person she wanted to speak with. Hell, at least he was warm.

"I'm going to be blunt. This may come as a shock to you, but I do speak with my wife on a regular basis. She brought it to my attention that you are expecting and that she strongly believes that the father has as fire type quirk."

Ginsui choked on her food in shock. Endeavor quickly smacked her back. Clearly the bluntness of both Dabi and Shoto were genetic.

"I knew after watching the fight you had with All For One that there was something more between you and the villain with marred skin. I don't know if you hooked up with him because of some repressed feelings you had about not being able to save Touya or if you were needy. I don't really care, but Rei seems to like you and I owe you more than my life. I'm telling you this, if you need anything. I mean _anything_ from me when your kid starts to develop a quirk like Dabi's or Touya's, I will be there."

She nearly spit her food out again.

"The last thing I would ever want you to do is _help _me, you domestic-assault-charge-dodging-shit."

"I cannot disagree with your harsh words. I'm trying my best, Silver Sorceress. I may never receive forgiveness from you or...my Touya, but I'm becoming a better man. One day, I will get my redemption. If me getting that second chance at being a better person involves helping someone that I've wronged, I will take it."

"Sir, kindly go fuck yourself way over there," Gini sighed as she used her chopsticks to point.

Endeavor shrugged in defeat before leaving her be. She regretted being so hostile. She was liking the hot temperature he exuded. She hated being this cold all the time. Maybe she should reach back out to Dabi...

It wasn't even ten seconds later when the empty spot was taken by a younger, even more vile man. Gini screamed up at the sky, causing those nearby to scurry away.

"Chisaki, I swear to God if you try me tonight, I will kill you," Gini warned.

"I'm only here to offer my peace. It was a mistake to try and take you by force. I understand that now. Here, I have a gift for you. It's a new drug I've been working on. It nullifies quirks so you won't have to be so dependent on people like Eraser Head. Anyway, you know where to find me if you want more," he snidely replied as he gave her a little box.

She watched him disappear into the thickening crowd surrounding the stage as the band began their third song of the evening. Gini examined the box before opening it. A small pill sat in the middle of it. She examined her gift before unzipping her top and tucking it into her bra. She may give it a try soon. The noise coming from the minds of everyone around her were starting to nag her.

"Ginsui! Come on! There's a total babe up on stage now and he's about to go all dreamy and acoustic on us. His eyes are to _die_ for!" Emi called out to the resting woman.

Gini smiled. The live music was what she had really been looking forward to after all. She locked arms with her girls as they pushed themselves towards the front of the stage.

_No fucking way, _Gini thought as her eyes widened as she focused on the guy Emi had mentioned.

It was as if a ghost had become re-animated. Dabi's scars were hidden and his hair was its natural shade of red.** _This_ is what Touya would have looked like had he never been in an accident; _if_ he had been raised in a loving home. And my God, he was beautiful.

He said a few words to the crowd about how he was dedicating the next song to his soulmate, or something like that. Ginsui didn't really know because she was too busy zoning out in a mild panic to listen to him.

Soon, he began playing _Just Like Heaven_ by The Cure. She had a sense of déjà vu as she watched the women around her drool over her man playing.

Why was she like this? She never realized she had a type, but boy was she wrong.

It didn't take Dabi long to find Gini in the crowd. She swayed naturally with the music he was making and he found the site breathtaking. Against his better judgement, he stopped playing and unplugged his guitar.

The crowd whispered in concern as he hopped off the stage and began to play a softer version of the song as he walked closer to Gini.

Emi and Nemuri nearly melted at the site. It was about time someone other than a spiritless Shota and a dangerous Dabi gave their friend attention. Maybe the dude could pull her out of her slump and show her that being single was worth it.

The audience could feel the sincerity the guitarist showed the lucky woman he sang to. Perhaps she wasn't just some random chick to serenade?

They wouldn't find out because the host of the party, Hawks, decided to crash the scene with two cameramen and three, large ring lights.

"And it is with my greatest pleasure, I welcome you, Silver Sorceress, to my Pro Hero 10 Minute Interview Segment!" Keigo winked as he pulled her away from the villain he easily recognized and onto the stage a few feet away.

"Huh?" Gini blabbered as Hawks removed her cat-eared mask and laughed when her curly silver hair puffed out around her head, finally free from its cocoon.

"Geez, Ms. Gini. I forgot how much hair you had," Keigo teased the ex-social worker who had spent three weeks caring for him when he was a child.

At last, the one Pro he knew always had the best intentions for the kids she helped was going to get the attention she deserved. Perhaps, he could even push her back into being a professional again and far away from the group he was assigned to target.

* * *

A/N Halloween is my favorite holiday and it fit the timeline I was going for, so cheers to fears.

*I was going for the Michelle Pfeiffer Catwoman costume here because Dabi and his staples ;)

** I'm pretty sure the manga has Touya with white hair, but I think he looks better with the red, so for my fic he's got Enji's hair .


	19. Her Goodbye to Heroism

I wasn't really sure how to conclude the second part of the Halloween thing, so this update took longer than the others. I'm also getting closer to the 25 chapter limit I originally set for myself...so I may have to quicken the pace and I'm afraid it'll feel too rushed. Any feedback y'all have is super appreciated! Anyway, thank you for stopping by to read this!

Disclaimer: I do not own MHA/BnHA

* * *

Her Peace

"I don't want to take up too much of your fun tonight, so I'll fly into it. You were a Pro after graduating U.A. but it only lasted a few years. You spent most of that time as a social worker by readjusting children of any age. What happened to make you take a step back?" Hawks began his "interview."

Ginsui frowned. She hated interrogations and knew when she was in one. The Commission must have set him up or worse—he was troubling her on his own accord. She brushed through her messy curls to try to tame her hair. It was the first thing she would do to calm herself.

"Probably the day you put blue food coloring in my shampoo after I spent three nights caring for you like you were my own kid," Gini jested with the host.

Hawks snickered. There were only a handful of people that knew where he came from and she just exposed it before he could. He should have been more prepared. He hoped she kept his real name quiet.

"Is it true that you also took a job as a stripper sometime after you quit?" He snarkly replied.

It was Gini's turn to snicker.

"It was ONE time, Hawks, and I was doing an undercover drug bust thank you very much."

"Oh, is that so?" Takami asked as he motioned for his cameraman to challenge her.

A video of her private session with Aizawa began to play.

"You were so good at your job, that you had my mans Eraser ready to propose," he teased as he pointed out the box Shota had in his hand for a few seconds before they were interrupted.

Gini's eye popped open in surprise. He was going to propose that soon? She turned to glare at Emi and Nemuri. They were supposed to prevent this entire interaction and now the community of Hawks fans was watching her perform a lap dance.

"Yeah well, it doesn't take much to seduce a straight man when you're wearing an outfit like that, let's be real," she teased back, covering up her irritation and playing along with the host.

"Okay, okay, I get your point. Showing off your assets to my viewers isn't the real reason I brought you to my show. Let's redirect everyone's attention back to what makes you relevant now," Keigo winked as the fight scene she had with All For One played.

Ginsui flinched at the battle. She looked amazing but watching herself acting out was a wakeup call. How could she be so stupid knowing she had a life growing within her? No wonder Dabi acted so cruel. She deserved more than the brand on her chest. He could have killed her and she would have understood after watching this footage!

"Can you please explain how your quirk works for those who may not have a full understanding of it?" Keigo prompted as he watched her eyes glaze over.

Gini returned her attention to him and gave a brief description of what she could do and how her overuse led her to the lapse in character that was shown in the clip.

"Thank you for that information, Ms. Fukukado. So, there's a big conspiracy about how you were working undercover with the League AND that you may have taken a liking to one of the members, Dabi. When you said that you overused your quirk, is that what you meant and did you fall for the League's mystery man?"

Shit these conspiracy gurus were too good.

"I forgot how clever those people can be. Yes, I totally...fuuu...I mean...had a thing with Dabi and I did overuse my quirk because of my involvement with him and the League. I had to use my quirk every day. I wouldn't have had to if our society hadn't pushed these people so far into that direction. Some of their quirks are deemed as "villainous" and they were pushed away before they could even prove otherwise. Some suffer from mental illness and could function very well in the Pro world if they got the attention they needed. I was able to provide that each day I spent with them," She explained lengthily.

"It sounds to me like you find Stain's message relatable," Hawks pressed, ignoring her comment about Dabi.

"I don't agree with his bold decision to go out and hunt heroes that are only doing this for fame and fortune, but I stan him for the fact that this fresh rise of villainy is a direct result of letting Pros dictate what type of violence is good and what is bad; who should be rewarded and who should be snuffed out."

The tone of the interview changed from silly to serious and the crowd grew silent as they listened to the empath act as a psychiatrist.

"Can you clarify what you mean by Pros having all the control?"

"I guess what I'm trying to say, is that there's this misconception that some people are inherently too crazy for our society. I've been pushing for more awareness regarding mental illness and how a person's quirk can worsen those effects if left neglected. Like me, for example. _I'm _the mental healer. _I'm_ the one that tends to these instabilities in others. WHO is going to help me when I go into a deep slump like that again, you know? We need more options for people, like me, whose quirks aren't compatible."

Hawks bit his bottom lip. This woman that had dedicated herself to the unfortunate kids like himself was hurting and he had no idea. He only remembered her laughter.

"I think that our society will start to take what you say seriously now that they've seen your prowess firsthand," He answered.

"Well, I seriously doubt that they'll take anything I say seriously after you showed them that private video of me," Gini sighed as she stood up to leave.

"Hey, wait! There's still the best part!" Keigo exclaimed as he grabbed her arm and pushed her back in her seat.

"Oh boy," she replied sarcastically.

Takami smiled as a string of videos he acquired from the social services storage played. By law, Gini was required to have cameras in her home whenever she had the children she removed from abusive situations over. It was to make sure that she wasn't abusive as well. Hawks was able to access the saved data and was going to show the world her magic.

Snippets of her from ages eighteen to twenty showcased her feeding, playing, and taking care of the broken children. The evidence brought awareness of how important her type of hero work was. It also reminded her of how difficult the job had been.

"This one is my favorite!" Keigo laughed, "See, she wasn't kidding about the food coloring in the shampoo."

The next video was of a twelve-year-old Takami and a small three-year-old. Gini remembered it as her last case before the Todoroki one.

Gini's hair was tinted in a splotchy blue pattern and she was wearing sweats. Purple circles tinted her eyelids and she was clearly exasperated. She had gotten the leak-proof part of a sippy cup lid stuck inside the sippy cup and was struggling to free it. She had grabbed a spoon and was trying to scoop it out as Keigo teased her mercilessly.

"Yeah, you spoon that lid just like that," Keigo had laughed as she continued to growl in frustration.

"Stop it, little bird! I'm trying to concentrate," Gini had sighed as she failed over and over again.

"Ugh, fuck it," she moaned and threw the cup towards the sink, only to have it bounce off the metal and pop her on the forehead.

Keigo Takami burst into laughter.

"Fuck it, fuck it, fuck it," the toddler chanted as she danced around the kitchen.

"Oh no no no no no, sweet girl! I said _luck it_. Luck it, luck it, luck it," Gini sang over the now screaming toddler's 'fuck it' mantra.

While she continued to try and convince the baby of the house to say a different word, Keigo could be seen in the background using his feathers to pry the seal out of the cup.

"Here, Ms. Gini," he smiled proudly.

"You genius! You lifesaver! You winged golden nugget!" She beamed before picking him up and spinning him around.

The scene ended with 'ahs,' 'oohs,' and 'awws' from the audience. Hawks was popular and his little stunt of saving the day as a kid was only going to boost that.

The final clip was of him climbing up a tree to get a stray cat down. Gini was clearly distressed as she begged him to climb back down. She had no idea that he could fly. She wasn't certain of all the wings abilities and if he fell and got hurt on her watch, she would be potentially fired.

He was laughing at her worries and went as far as taunting her by jumping up and down on one of the limbs. He hadn't even grabbed the cat when his foot slipped and he began to fall.

The crowd gasped as they watched Gini sprint to the tree with her arms out ready to catch him, tears already forming in her eyes. They cheered as Hawks quickly expanded his wings and flew into her outstretched arms, lifting her so that she could soar upwards with him.

"Oh my gosh, you can fly!" Her laughter trickled down towards the hidden camera as he swooped her around the small yard.

"It would be pretty unfortunate if someone with wings couldn't, Ms. Gini," he replied before landing.

Gini giggled as the film ended.

"You were a terror to watch. I don't think I slept at all the entire time you stayed with me," she sighed at the young man across from her. What had the Commission done to him since then?

"And the time I spent with you was the best sleep I had ever gotten as a kid. I never properly thanked you for that. That's all for tonight! Ladies and Gents, the Silver Sorceress!" Hawks smiled and grabbed Gini to bow with her for the applause.

Ginsui scanned the crowd and noticed that Dabi and his bandmates were no longer there. She did see Enji Todoroki leaning nearby, his eyes never leaving her. He knew he was responsible for her retiring from that job. He knew he was responsible for her life changing just as much as All for One had been.

Gini sighed before hopping off the stage and joining her friends.

"I forgot how badass you were on the field," Midnight admitted as she led them to the haunted house.

The silver-haired woman smiled in response. She missed working with kids. She'd go back to the school if Aizawa wasn't there. Instead, she would probably hit Sir Nighteye up and see if he had any available work for her.

* * *

The three vixens lined up to enter the spooky attraction. The longer they waited, the more anxious Gini became. The house was pretend, but the fear exuding from the guests was real. Jump scares brought about the same scent of fear as actual terror did and she couldn't distinguish between them. It would be hard for her to enjoy this place while her quirk was in overdrive.

"Hey, I need to run to the restroom. I'll be back soon. If you get pulled in before I get back, go on without me. I'll head home if that happens," she told Emi as she snuck away.

She slipped off to take the pill Kai had given her half an hour ago. Soon, she felt the effects and boy did she feel great. It was as if a weight had been lifted.

"What was that?" Enji snapped as he grabbed the box she had tossed into the trash back out.

"Huh?" Gini asked, irritated that this man was determined to bother her tonight.

"I saw you take something. What was it? You shouldn't be taking anything that could interfere with your pregnancy."

"What? Why the hell are you suddenly concerned about my well-being? Is it Rei? Do we need to talk about her? Or is this your way of trying to apologize for what happened between us all those years ago? I'm not mad about you slamming me through a table, by the way. I am pretty bitter about Touya though," Gini rambled as Endeavor glared down at her.

He made her feel so small. He wasn't her father, damnit! So why was he acting like it all of a sudden?

"Oi! Ms. Gini!" Bakugo called over to her before Enji could reply.

"What's wrong?" She asked, grateful for the interruption.

"So, they won't let us through without an adult. Come on," Katsuki explained as he drug her over to where he, Uraraka, and Shinsou stood.

The purple haired boy was wearing a lab coat and rubber gloves. His messy hair really pulled the "mad scientist" look together. She grinned at the odd trio before leading them to the entrance.

"They're with me," Gini smiled as the ticket taker rolled his eyes at the group that had unsuccessfully tried to enter seconds ago.

"Uh...I'm already a little scared," Ochako whispered.

"Don't worry about it, Roundcheeks. If any of them try anything, I'll blast them the fuck up," Bakugo laughed.

Uraraka nodded, she seemed braver at his words and to be honest, Gini felt reassured as well. She could feel the anticipation of being purposefully scared building up and she was excited.

All was going well until they neared a circus tent.

"Is now a bad time to mention my unnatural fear of clowns?" Ginsui mumbled as she hugged one of Shinsou's arms tightly to her to use him as a shield if necessary.

He looked worriedly down at her.

"Yeah, me too," he replied as they began to fall behind Ochako and Katsuki.

The two kept their focus on the couple in front of them as they trudged through the circus. They eventually found themselves in a room full of mirrors. Gini was trembling hard enough that her grip on Shinsou's arm forced him to vibrate too.

The sounds of horns squeaking and maniacal laughter finally broke the young man. He took off running through the section and abandoned the screaming woman behind.

"Waaaiiit!" She cried after him, her legs not moving fast enough to catch up. She kept slamming into the mirrors as she struggled to get through the maze.

She wanted to be scared like a normal person, but goddamn she regretted it.

Suddenly, she felt a warm hand cover her mouth and a scorching hot arm wrap around her waist and pull her into the darkness engulfing them.

"Christ, Ginsui. I can't believe you're so jumpy. Can't you sense the actors around you?" Dabi teased as he turned her around to face him.

She blinked as she comprehended what had happened. Her fingers reached out to caress his face unintentionally. It had been ten years since she had seen him undamaged and he was _hot_. Two months without physical affection was getting to her. She was hungry for the man, but she quickly pulled away.

She couldn't get reattached. She could only repair so much mental damage and his wild explosion on her months ago was a bad sign. Maybe if he broke away from the League and reformed himself, then she could reassess their relationship. It was too soon for that now, though.

"You're not thinking about running from me, are you?" He asked darkly.

"I just...want to get out of here, please. I'm scared," she admitted. He didn't have to know it was of him.

He nodded and snapped his fingers. Kurogiri opened a portal and Dabi pushed them through it.

"Gin-Gin!" Toga cheered as she watched the woman step into the new hideout.

"Not now, you psycho. I have to talk to her," Dabi warned as he led Ginsui to a back room.

"Sit," he commanded and she quickly obeyed by sitting on the foot of his bed.

"I know we were only together for a few months. And, I know it's been a few months since we last spoke, but I want to clear things up between us," he began.

Ginsui nodded, her heart racing. She couldn't feel his intentions. She felt so naked without her quirk. She longed to be rid of it, and here she was completely lost without it.

"Are you and Aizawa still together?"

She shook her head, unable to make eye contact. His beautiful blue eyes were absolutely terrifying and she simply could not handle that right now.

"Look at me, Gini. Are you lying?" He asked as he lifted her chin up to see if she were being honest.

"We agreed to be friends and nothing more," she stated coldly.

"And this Hawks dude. He seemed a little too friendly. Should I be worried about him?"

"His name is Takami Keigo. He was taken by the Commission some time after I took care of him. Also, you should be more worried about him trying to get in your pants, not mine," Gini couldn't help but laugh in his face.

Dabi squinted at her in response.

"And what about us? Were you ever planning on coming back?"

"Of course," Gini sighed back, "are you finished now?"

"Don't be a brat, babygirl," he warned.

"Okay then, what else is there Dabi?"

"Will you please stay this time? If not for me, for Magne and Toga? You don't have to be involved in any of the work we do here. I even have a place you could go if you don't want to hang out with the others here. We need you," he begged, his thumb tracing her bottom lip.

She knew to say no. She knew to ask him to take her out of there. She knew that things were not going to look up and that her pregnancy wasn't going to stay hidden the longer she stayed here. Yet, his warmth was soothing. His pleas were precious.

Aizawa had never shown so much interest or need for her. Hell, the only time he acted like he cared was when she went out with another man out of spite. Any woman would be lying if she said she didn't yearn to be wanted like this.

"Dabi, please be honest with me."

"Hmm?" He hummed as his lips began to place gentle kisses along her jawline.

"Why do you want me to stay? I betrayed this little family of misfits we found ourselves in. I actually care for all of you, but I betrayed the group anyway. All so I could kill someone that wronged me as a kid. I failed and...and...the baby..." she trailed as his kisses started to move down her neck.

He carefully pushed her down onto his bed so that he could get her out of her costume.

"Fukukado Ginsui," he said seductively.

The sound was intoxicating and she could feel her arousal take over her sanity.

"Isn't it obvious? It's because I love you."


	20. Her Risk

Hi. My name is Aubrey and I am once again letting you know that this story finna get real dark real fast. I will have warnings. There is pill taking in this chapter and even if it is helping the OC, it still causes a dependency on someone she really doesn't need to get too invested in. Thank you for checking my fic out and I hope y'all like it!

* * *

Her Peace

_I feel it coming out my throat_  
_Guess I better wash my mouth out with soap_  
_God, I wish I never spoke_  
_Now I gotta wash my mouth out with soap_

_~Soap: Melanie Martinez~_

* * *

Ginsui woke to a swarm of unadulterated infatuation. The pill she had taken earlier had obviously worn off and Dabi's care for her was invigorating, but she pushed her physical neediness aside. How his adoration for her was that strong when he was asleep was beyond her. She glanced over at the clock and saw 3:45AM.

She carefully pulled away to search for clothes and her phone. She had no doubt that her friends were pissed at her sudden disappearance. Her heart sank when she saw the eight missed calls and thirteen texts; some of which came from Aizawa and Mic. She hated it when her girlfriends involved those two.

She quickly replied to the texts and assured her beloved friends that she was indeed okay and that she was planning on getting a place of her own, that she would swing by both Emi's and Shota's later that week to get her belongings. She knew they would want her to call, but she couldn't do that without coming up with some elaborate excuse and she did not have the creative genius to do that this fucking early.

She quietly slipped out to investigate the new whereabouts. It was similar to the others the League had, bar and all.

"You should know that I'm not happy to have you back. You've got to prove yourself valuable to me in order to stay," Shigaraki's intense tone interrupted her snooping.

"What do you have in mind?" Ginsui began. Perhaps this would be her chance to slip away for the remainder of her pregnancy. Maybe this would give Dabi a chance to reevaluate his life...

"Unlike your fucktoy, I wasn't distracted by acting like a rockstar last night. I watched you instead," he began.

"That's not creepy at all," Gini snorted back.

"I only have my players best interests in mind and I'll be damned if they get screwed over again by some doe-eyed, pretty faced twat!"

"That's fair," Gini sighed at his harsh description of her. He wasn't wrong.

"I saw a masked man give you something. He looked identical to the description Magne gave us of your near abductor. What was it?" Shigaraki pried.

"Medicine for my quirk," Gini shrugged. There was no sense in lying at this point.

"What does it do exactly?"

"It removes my quirk entirely...I'd say for about eight hours."

"You mean you were quirkless for the last eight hours?!" Shiggy hissed.

"Well...uh...yeah..." Gini frowned; she didn't think it was that big of a deal.

"You shouldn't do that again. What if the effects become permanent? How are you going to be useful to me?"

"My connections, I guess..." Ginsui trailed.

She wasn't planning on actually being useful to the ragtag unit of bad guys. She only wanted Dabi and his warmth and she desperately wanted him to man up and discard this notion of destroying heroism. She was clinging on to his love for her to push him into the right direction. Now, who knew how soon that would be.

"Hmmm," Shigaraki pondered as he took a seat on the nearby sofa.

Gini stared curiously at his face. She couldn't recall seeing him without the bizarre headgear he normally hid behind. He could be handsome if he took a better skin care routine, maybe. She could see potential.

"Is this drug he gave you available on the streets?"

"I'm not really sure. He may be giving samples out at random. He gave me mine as an apology."

"I have an idea," he stated as he scratched his neck.

"Sure, what's up?" Gini sighed, mentally preparing herself for some dirty work.

"You need to get in. Get more information about this quirk-erasing substance and you need to tell me all about it."

"Getting into the yakuza will be a piece of cake. My Great Uncle's the boss, handyman," she laughed at Shigaraki's expression.

"The hard part is getting Chisaki Kai, aka Overhaul, the one with the mask, to trust me enough to tolerate my presence there."

"All you need to do is use your quirk, you dumb bitch," Tomura laughed at her.

"Sir Nighteye, the person in charge of the agency I take jobs with, has done tons of research on him. This Chisaki fellow hates quirks. He thinks they're a sickness. He'll know if I use mine and will probably kill me on the spot. Why do you think he was so willing to give me a dose of this new drug?"

"I see," Shigaraki smiled, "then why don't you build a relationship with him. Arrange meetings to get more of those pills. Then, call your uncle up and become a member."

Ginsui felt bile rise in her throat. The soothsayer's warning just hitting her. Overhaul could have been the bird she was told to stay away from. Maybe it wasn't a joke from Hawks.

"I'll do it, but only if you let Dabi come with me to the meetings. Chisaki makes me...unwell."

"Absolutely not. Do you really think he's going to agree to you participating in drug deals? Don't be so fucking stupid, Gini. Besides, he likes to go on his own agenda. He won't have time to babysit you."

"Fine. Also, I get to tell Sir Nighteye all of my discoveries too. I'll keep the League's involvement completely secret though."

"So, all the intelligence you give me, you will be giving to the Pros as well?"

"Yes. They need to know. This keeps my reputation as a good guy intact and will also bring about the yakuza downfall. That's one less criminal organization you have to worry with."

"Okay, I like the way your mind strategizes. I'll allow it. Guess you better get started then."

"It's like four in the morning. I'm going back to bed," Gini snorted before leaving the messy haired man.

* * *

"Dabi? There's something you need to know," she whispered over to the groggy man as he stretched awake after she woke him up accidentally by closing the door behind her.

"I...I love you too. Whatever happens from here on out, please know that. I've only ever said that once to another person and he didn't reciprocate those feelings like you do. There may come a day where it doesn't seem like I do, that I was lying. If that day ever comes, please ignore the obvious. I freaking love you."

A sleepy smirk crossed his face.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he whispered and rolled back over to sleep.

Aizawa would have asked her fifty questions about why she would think he would doubt her. He would have been relentless with his accusations that she intended on doing something stupid after saying something like that. Dabi was different. He knew she wasn't perfect and he accepted it without any qualms. That was what she needed.

Two hours later, Gini couldn't remain quiet. She had patiently waited for someone to care for her as much as she did for them and she finally got that. Sure, it was with someone mentally unstable that catwalked on the brink of evil and pure, but who was she to judge. Her joy, even if she knew it was going to be short lived, wasn't something she could suppress.

So, at six in the morning, the song _Dessert_ by Dawin blasted from the kitchen, waking any member present up. The smell of omelets and espresso filled the building.

Toga was the first to barge into the kitchen.

"OH MY GOD I'VE MISSED THIS! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW AWFUL IT'S BEEN WITHOUT YOUR BAD SINGING, HOT AS FUCK DANCING, AND RESTAURANT QUALITY COOKING?!"

"My singing is bad?" Gini giggled as she fixed a plate for the yelling teenager.

"No way, it's angelic! Nah, I'm kidding it's pretty shitty," Jin replied as he joined in.

"Gini, I've missed you," Magne began to cry in between bites.

"Don't get too attached. She's not staying here," Dabi tartly replied from the doorway he leaned from.

"Huh?" Gini, Magne, Himiko, and Jin asked in unison.

"I'm not letting her break down again and that's what's going to happen if she's here all the time."

"But...but...you CAN'T KEEP HER ALL TO YOURSELF!" Himiko whined.

"He's right; although, her presence here is needed. She will need to make time for the others, you know Dabi," Kurogiri voiced as he joined the group for good food.

"Sure, whatever," he reluctantly agreed before eating.

"Say your goodbyes. I'll bring her by in a few days," Dabi continued after the group finished breakfast.

Gini took mental notes of the street the new hideout was on and the ones leading to Dabi's apartment.

"Wow, this is much nicer than I expected," Gini blushed as she explored her new home.

"You can thank Big Sis Magne for that," Dabi smiled as he watched her tour.

He followed her around and waited until she was comfortable to tell her his plans for the day.

"I have to head out now. I probably won't be back until tomorrow, so please try to stay out of trouble okay?" He asked.

"I'm going to do my best, but I don't exactly have the greatest track record."

"I know...listen if you need anything just call or text me at this number," he advised as he entered his information into her phone.

"Yeah, okay," she smiled.

He gave her forehead a gentle kiss before leaving.

* * *

She called Sir Nighteye first and broke down her newest plan. She left out the fact that she was getting quirk suppressants from the target and the huge fact that she was working this scheme out with the League. She sincerely didn't want them to get into any more trouble than they were already amounting for themselves.

Once the agency captain gave her the okay to infiltrate the yakuza, she began to plan. Originally, she didn't want to spend too much time in the organization, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it could be her way to finish off her pregnancy. She could easily spend a few months there. It could be just enough time for Dabi to get rid of his dark philosophies and _then_ she could bring up the fact that their baby was okay.

Honestly though, the more she thought about that issue the more she dreaded that conversation. It didn't matter how she told him; it would go down poorly. What mattered, was how he acted after the hard pill was swallowed. She could only hope that he would be understanding about why she didn't tell him the truth that night he permanently marred her skin.

She groaned as she called the number she had gotten from the box that her pill had come in.

"Hey, are you terribly busy right now? Okay, great. I was wondering if we could arrange a meeting?" There at eight tonight? Sure, okay, thanks!" Gini hung up.

Even speaking to the man made her shiver. She quickly deleted the call. She didn't want Dabi going through her phone and making up scenarios. But...he wouldn't do that. That was something Aizawa would do. She needed to let her past stay there.

Once she regathered her thoughts, she called Shigaraki to let him know where she would be in case shit hit the fan.

* * *

**7:30PM**

Gini's hair was parted down the middle with each half braided into a single, thick, cornrow. She wore a long-sleeved white crop top that had her favorite band's logo across the chest. High-waisted, black leather pants hid most of her abdomen. She put on thigh-high black boots at the door as her heart raced. She hoped she could pull this off.

Square black sunglasses hid her face as the song _The Box_ played in her ears. A cherry sucker clicked between her teeth as she neared the meeting place: the park bench at Dagobah where she had gotten the last pill.

She took a seat and casually played with her phone until she felt Kai's presence. She forced herself to swallow. Why the young man set her on edge was worrisome, but she would find out soon enough.

She pulled the earbuds out as he took a seat beside her. He casually crossed his right ankle over his left knee and leaned back to place an arm over shoulders.

Gini swallowed again, removing the candy from her mouth. She couldn't feel Shigaraki's presence anywhere, so he had left her to her own resources. All Chisaki had to do was remove his glove, and she would lose her left arm.

"I knew you would reach out, but so soon? I'm pleasantly surprised. So tell me, how well did it work?" The bird-beaked man began.

"Completely quirkless for like eightish hours," Gini smiled before popping the candy back in.

Kai's golden eyes lingered on her mouth longer than necessary. The gaze eventually moved up to her covered eyes.

"I know we agreed on a weekly supply, but I've changed my mind. I'll give you one a day for a week."

"What? Why?" Gini spat, already ready to go.

She could cuss him and Shigaraki out right now and not even care of the consequences.

"How else would I be able to see more of you? Seven days instead of one? Can you blame me?" Kai dryly explained.

Gini chuckled, "You have a crush huh? Okay, I'll play along."

The man licked his lips, grateful that Gini couldn't see behind his mask.

They made the exchange and soon Gini was home throwing up. Her blood boiled at the thought of the man liking her. She thought about the way his eyes had watched her suck on the lollipop and she puked again.

It wasn't like he was unattractive. No, his clean-cut appearance and charm were sexy, but it was only at the surface. Something was terribly wrong with him and _that_ was what nauseated her. And to think that she had to endure him every day for who knows how long!

She needed sleep, so she quickly took the pill. The door to her new apartment burst open to a wheezing Dabi. She quickly wiped the bile from her mouth and ran to the scorched man.

"Oh my god! What...what happened?!" Gini cried out as he dropped his weight onto her shoulders so that she could lead them to the bathroom.

He collapsed onto the toilet seat, ignoring her stream of questions.

"Fine! Just ignore me then!" She frowned as she opened the closet door to find some kind of balm to dress his wounds.

She sharply inhaled as her eyes scanned over diapers, wipes, and tiny washcloths. He had nested a home for them and she was so worried that he wasn't stable enough for this.

"To the left, behind the lotion. Hurry up," Dabi urged her as she felt her throat tighten.

She distracted herself by tending to his burns. She could feel the need to cry worsen with each application. Soon, tears were streaming down her face.

"I can do this myself if you're going to cry all over me. That shit burns," Dabi scoffed as he pushed her away.

"I'm sorry," she replied as he took over.

"Don't be. I'm sorry I snapped like that. I'm just tired and in pain."

"I know and you don't have to apologize. It's okay to be mean when you're hurting," she sobbed.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed his staple gun, the pain going away now that his burns were soothed.

"You look good. Did you go out?" He asked once they had both finally calmed down.

"Yeah, I had dinner with Emi," she explained.

He raised an eyebrow at the lie. She couldn't have had dinner with her cousin because he narrowly dodged the Outburst user after his job went bad.

If Gini hadn't taken the drug, then she would have known that she had messed up. However, she was none the wiser.

"Why are you battered?" She asked.

"I got into an altercation during a mission that went wrong," he replied calmly. Gini had her reasons for being secretive. It wasn't like he was being completely honest either.

"Do you have any jobs the rest of the week?" She asked, seeing if she would be able to go out at eight every night this week. It would get suspicious quickly.

"Yeah, why?"

"Shouldn't you stay home tomorrow? Your wounds..." Gini trailed, anxious that he would be hurt worse but relieved that she wouldn't need any excuse to leave.

"I can stay if you want me to?" He hesitated.

A few months with the woman was long enough to learn her mannerisms, her tics. She was definitely up to something.

"Well...actually...umm..." she paused. Shit, she was no good at keeping secrets and she was already struggling with the baby in her belly.

"Just fucking say it, Gini. We both know you were lying about seeing Emi."

"GOD I'M SO BAD AT THIS," Gini growled in frustration.

"Obviously. So, what's up with the secrecy?"

"...Shigaraki needs me to prove myself and we worked something out."

"He has you working?" Dabi spat, already getting to his feet and putting on a jacket to confront their boss.

"Wait, please, it's only so that he can trust me again. Once the job's done, then I won't have any reason to follow his command."

"If it's going to get you hurt, then I'm not okay with it," Dabi warned, his fingers running through his black hair. He had darkened it again before going on his mission.

"It'll just be a few months at the max!"

"A few _months_? Are you fucking kidding me? I'll give you a few weeks. That's all I'm okay with. I will go to Shigaraki to straighten this out if you think it'll take longer."

"No, no, I'll talk to him about it later."

"Good. I'm exhausted. Let's go to bed," Dabi sighed before taking her hand and leading them into _their_ room.


	21. Her Nightmare

A/N: This chapter has sexual assault and the section will be marked. This can be a trigger, so I want to be upfront about why I have chosen to include it. 1) I was raped in my early twenties and the best coping I have for dealing with that trauma, is to write about it. If I bottle it up, I'll just sink into a big depressive bubble that will kill me which brings me to 2) To bring about suicide awareness. 3) The story is made to be angsty, so drama is necessary. 4) The tragedy is what drives Gini into taking down the yakuza before the Pros do their thing in the anime/manga (that I don't own) and I think people that use their tragedy as a ladder to become powerful symbols are the most beautiful people in our horrible world.

I hope this doesn't deter readers! I value feedback, so don't be shy! Thank you for reading!

* * *

Her Peace

I don't want to be alive,

I don't want to be alive,

I just want to die today

I just want to die

~1-800-273-8255 by Logic~

* * *

Emi gave Keigo a skeptical look. He had been smooth with his delivery and she would admit, even a little suave. She still wasn't convinced by what he was suggesting though.

"She wouldn't do that," Gini's cousin replied for the third time.

"Ms. Joke, may I just say that your hair is looking extra vibrant today?"

"That's cute, but you don't have to flatter me kid. You're like a little too young to be trying that with me," Emi giggled, impressed with his attempts, nonetheless.

"Okay, okay. Listen, I'm not saying that she's acting like a criminal. I'm only saying that my resources saw her making some sort of exchange with a young yakuza member that is trying to make a name for himself. Should I also remind you that she has yet to come home?" Hawks replied.

He rarely made a point to visit heroes at their personal residences, but he had questions for Gini about Dabi and her last case involving the Todoroki family. He was greeted by the Outburst hero instead much to his dismay.

"She has a knack for spontaneity. I'm sure she hooked up with the guy from the band at your party and is too embarrassed to do her walk of shame right now," Emi replied, completely leaving out the fact that her cousin had told her that she was moving away and would be back later to get some things.

"If you hear from her, birdie, let me know okay? I'm worried that she may be interfering with one of my investigations by hooking up with a target."

"The cute redhead is your target?! No way!" Emi giggled again. Damn her cousin sure had a knack for attracting the wrong ones.

Hawks simply smiled and rubbed the back of his head before leaving.

* * *

**-POV Change-**

Ginsui rushed to the bathroom to puke. She thought the whole 'morning sickness' shebang would be over by now. It wasn't until Dabi turned on the light that she realized more than vomit had come up. Remains of the pill and blood swam in the bowl.

She quickly flushed to hide the horror, hoping Dabi hadn't noticed.

"The hell did you eat yesterday? That smells awful," Dabi complained from behind the hand he held over his face.

Ginsui apologized and flushed again, making sure that any evidence of foul play was gone.

"Will you excuse me for a minute? I need to make a call."

Dabi shrugged and moved aside, pinching one of her love handles endearingly as she walked by.

"May I speak with the doctor please? This is Fukukado Ginsui. Yes, I'll hold," Gini politely replied, despite the panic building up.

She quietly paced around the balcony, double checking that Dabi wasn't eavesdropping.

"Hi! I know it's not time for my next appointment, but something has come up and I would be forever grateful if you could fit me in."

"That depends on the symptoms you're having. What's going on?"

"To make a long story short, I'm vomiting blood."

"Dear God woman! Come in immediately," her doctor advised and turned to issue commands to her staff for Gini's arrival.

Gini hung up and quickly changed into a casual, loose-fitting sweater and a pair of ripped bleached jeans.

"What the rush, doll? We haven't even gotten to make up from the months apart," Dabi asked as he blocked her exit, rubbing a bandaged hand under her sweater and down her back to undo her bra.

"Not right now, you're hurt and...look I'll tell you when I get back, I promise," Gini sputtered out. She wanted to stay and feel his warm hands trace her body but now was not the time.

"Okay, sure babe," he bit his tongue to keep from saying more. She was distressed about something, so he knew it was better to let her take care of whatever it was first.

**-The OBGYN-**

"The blood results from the samples we took will be ready in about ten minutes. In the meantime, has anything changed in your diet?" The doctor began.

Ginsui didn't want to keep anything secret. Her little one's health was worth the truth.

"I...I've taken a few quirk suppressing pills. I assumed they were made from something similar to the medication you used for me in the hospital. But now, it's clear that they're not," the sunset eyed woman explained.

"The good news is that your ultrasound results turned out perfect. Baby Fukukado is healthy and growing at a normal rate, although it is a little on the small side. It is possible that the quirk pills you bought may impact its own quirk development. We won't really know until it's older though. I was also able to see its gender, if you're interested!"

"You can see the gender already?"

"Yep. You're measuring about seventeen weeks along, so it's pretty obvious now."

"I think I'll wait for the next appointment and bring my cousin. She's going to want to find out with me," Gini's heart fluttered at the thought. Knowing the gender would make it more real.

"That's understandable."

"And you said that it's possible that these pills could prevent its quirk from evolving?"

"That's right. But, it almost seems that you would be okay with something like that happening."

"I'm...scared that it will have its father's quirk, or worse...mine..." Gini expressed her concern.

"Modern medicine is trying to keep up with these fast-pacing developments of mismatched quirks. I'm sure by the time it gets old enough to use the quirk, we will be able to give it more help than we were able to give you and its...dad."

Gini nodded as the professional's words comforted her.

"Pardon me as I review the blood results," she asked Gini as she stepped outside.

Ginsui picked at her nails impatiently as something very nasty clicked. She couldn't read the emotions of everyone around her. She had solely been interpreting her own thoughts and feelings for the last twelve hours. Twelve, not eight.

"Ms. Fukukado?" Gini jumped as the doctor announced her return.

"Oh, sorry to frighten you! So, I reviewed the evidence and there's some disturbing information. I'm required to turn it over as evidence of a crime. Did you acquire the pills while working a job for Sir Nighteye?"

"Oh...uh...yeah," Gini half-lied.

"Okay, I'll let him take the samples in then. Sweetie, there was human DNA other than yours in the toxicology report. It suggests that a person was used to help create the drug you took."

"What?" Gini gasped.

"If this dealer of yours is someone you're investigating on Nighteye's behalf, then I suggest you tread lightly."

"No kidding," the silver haired woman agreed.

She immediately called her Great Uncle to see what was going on once she was dismissed. He had always upheld a chivalrous squad to keep his small organization afloat. If people were being used to make quirk suppressants, then something was terribly wrong.

"The Boss is unavailable right now. May I ask who's calling?" A gritty voice answered.

"Ch...Chisaki?" Gini asked, unable to hide the tremble in her voice.

"Oh, Ms. Gini it's you. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but your uncle has fallen ill and is currently in a coma," the acting leader advised.

"...what did you do to him?" Gini spat into the phone, quickening her pace to the League's hideout. Shigaraki needed to know that the line of succession had changed.

"What makes you think that I would harm him? He was a father to me. I was looking forward to seeing you later, but I'm not sure you would be pleasant company now that I know you lack manners."

"_I_ lack manners? Your last pill could have really hurt me! You should have given me a heads-up that you made changes...and that you were using actual people to make them! What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Oh, you didn't like the changes I made? I thought you could use the extra time of peace. You are at your most perfect when you're quirkless, you know?"

"You bastard. You fucking bastard. If people were killed for that pill I took...and if what you did is permanent, I'm going to —"

"—to what?" Kai's voice echoed from the phone and from the alley to her left.

Ginsui dropped the phone and slowly stepped towards the street, her eyes zeroing in on the alley to see if she could spot him. He wasn't there. Perhaps she was imagining the echo.

"Whoa babygirl, what you are doing being so jumpy today?" Dabi's calm voice spoke up as he bent down to retrieve her phone.

She didn't reply at first. Her lack of emotional connection to those around her left her blind and jittery. Once she realized that she was safe there with Dabi, she jumped into his arms.

She feverishly kissed the staples on his face before reaching his mouth. He embraced her tongue with his own, letting the sporadic makeout continue for a few minutes.

"I'm not complaining, but what's up with the mood swings? You were panicky at home, you looked terrified minutes ago, and now you're all over me. You okay?"

"Dabi..."

"Look babe, you need to start being honest because I'm not liking all this secrecy shit. As much as I adore you, I will walk away if you keep it up," he warned as he carefully placed her back on the ground.

"Okay first things first."

"All right, I'm ready."

"I took a pill to stop my quirk."

"Like the shit they gave you at the hospital? My mom told me about them and how they seemed to help get you out of there faster. So, what's the big deal?"

"They didn't come from the hospital and the second one I took—"

"Wait, you bought something off the streets and thought it was okay to take more than one? The fuck is wrong with you Gini? Why didn't you say something last night?"

"I wasn't expecting you to be home last night to have to explain myself, so there's that."

"Fine. What were you saying about the fucking drug you took before I interrupted?"

"It was what made me sick. I went to the doctor and everything is fine. I'm okay I just need to not take anymore."

"Oh, so you took illegal shit from who knows where made from who knows what, went to the doctor about it, and you're just now filling me in and it's just a-oh-fucking-kay, huh. Are...are you quirkless right now? Is that why you didn't know I was following you?"

"I didn't think you of all people would be so harsh on me, and yes I don't feel anything around me and it's weirding me out," Gini mumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean? That because I'm out here roasting people that you can start making shitty choices too? You're supposed to be more mature than that. And to think you were going to be the mother of my kid. It looks like we both have a lot of growing up to do," he spat and turned to light a cigarette.

"Wait, there's more," she barely choked out. How was she supposed to tell him about the baby after his last comment?

"More? For fuck's sake woman you are so much more trouble than I thought. You're lucky you're cute, I swear to god," he grumbled, inhaling the nicotine to mellow him out.

"Can I get a hug first?" She asked, desperate for his warmth.

He rolled his eyes before pulling her close. The thought of her buying drugs like an addict still hurt him.

"Was this drug deal the job you worked out with Shigaraki?" He asked before she could tell him about the 17-week-old fetus growing inside her.

"Yes," she sighed.

He removed her arms from around his waist and began walking to the hideout.

"Dabi I still haven't told you about—"

"Go home and rest, Ginsui. I don't want to hear anymore right now. I have shit to take care of with Shigaraki. I'll call you later. I don't know when I'll be home, but I'm sure it'll be a few days at the least."

"A few days... at the least?" She was going to freeze to death.

"Oh, you don't like that? At least it's not a _few months," _he snidely replied.

Gini blinked in rejection as he retreated away. She hadn't even told him the biggest news yet. If he was handling her working for Shiggy poorly, the latter was going to be hell.

She should have followed. She even thought about yelling 'I'm pregnant' as he sulked away. She wasn't brave enough.

Instead, she softly said "Please don't go away. I'm pregnant," into the morning air. He was too far to hear and soon, he was in the building and far from where any yelling could be heard.

"Pregnant? By that disgusting creature of a human? You are quite the slut. I never would have imagined," Kai interrupted her silent brooding.

"I've slept with two people my entire life, so I don't think I live up to that word," Gini smarted.

It was easy to sass dangerous people when she couldn't feel their thoughts.

"What if another number was added to your count?" He chuckled. Her eyes widened as she interpreted his meaning.

This was the worst possible time for her quirk to be nullified.

******TRIGGER WARNING******

"I can imagine you looking at me with those big, innocent eyes with your mouth around my cock," he chuckled again as he reached out to grab her.

She let out a bloodcurdling scream before he quickly took off a glove to seal her lips together.

"Shh, shh, shh, you can speak again if you behave," he smiled behind his beak as he led her deeper into the shadows of the alleyway.

She was trembling so violently that she could barely walk. She forced herself to follow and prayed it would be painless.

"That's right, we wouldn't want the baby to be hurt would we?" He antagonized her as he unbuttoned her jeans and tugged on her panties so that they would fall around her ankles along with her pants.

He pushed her over a stack of boxes that were just tall enough to support her and high enough for him to get his dick inside of her. The sound of a condom wrapper opening let her know that the worst was about to come.

He pushed her sweater up so that his gloved hands could dig into her hips greedily. He slowly inserted himself into her. A soft groan escaped his covered lips.

"You feel better than I imagined, especially knowing that the abomination of a person you call a boyfriend was in here. I wouldn't know any better if I didn't overhear your little conversation with him. I would never leave you like he did," he spoke as he continued to pound into her.

He took a fistful of her hair and pulled her head to the side. Her face glistened with tears and sweat.

"Such pretty eyes. It pains me to see those tears, Ms. Ginsui. I can give you a better life so you'll like this more next time."

Her eyes widened. _Next time? He planned on bringing more of this torture? And who was going to stop him? Dabi was going to be gone. Will the League protect me? Not after I betrayed them,_ the damsel thought horribly as Kai's shaft continued to shove into her mercilessly.

She wanted to kick, hit, and fight her way out of her predicament, but even the slightest hint of aggression would cost her the baby's life. She had risked its life before and it nearly broke her and Dabi. She wouldn't survive another fallout with him.

Ten minutes later Kai pulled out, removed the condom, and came onto her back.

She quickly rubbed her back against the stack of boxes before pulling her underwear and pants back on. He waited until she was finished cleaning up to unseal her mouth. His thumb rubbed over her bottom lip affectionately.

******SAFE******

"Please be careful out there Ginsui Fukukado. It would bring me great displeasure to think of someone taking advantage of you, now that you belong to me," he coldly stated as he walked away, tossing a pill box at her.

Gini collapsed onto the filthy ground and pulled her legs up to her chest. She opened the box and saw the remainder of the week's supply in it. She dumped it out was going to crush them until she realized that she could turn half of them over to Tomura and the other half to Nighteye.

She had cared for rape victims before. Hell, she had almost been one herself on numerous occasions, but her quirk always saved her.

She cried as she carefully put the drugs back into the box. Her insides throbbed in pain with each movement. She couldn't believe that something like this could actually happen to her.

Not to her. Not to her. Not ever to her. She couldn't be this broken girl in the dark alley with dirt and cum on her. No, not her.

It didn't really happen. It wasn't real. She was having a nightmare. It was all a bad dream she concocted because of her anxiety with working undercover again and from needing to tell Dabi the truth.

"I'll wake up soon. I'll wake up and be snuggled in a blanket of Dabi's warmth and I'm going to spit out the big news of him being a dad. He's going to smile and we're going to be happy. We are going to be happy!" She chanted until she could feel the truth sink in.

She sobbed harder as she punched and stomped at the ground around her repeatedly. If anyone walked by they would see a grown woman throwing a tempter tantrum like a toddler.

A few shards from broken beer bottles rested beside her. She thought about grabbing one and digging trenches into her forearms to wake herself up. If it didn't work, then at least she would die and be free from this horrible hell she found herself in. If only it wouldn't hurt. The pain of cutting herself open was the only thing stopping her.

"Wake up Gini. Wake up woman," she kept telling herself as she continued to rock back and forth, sparing the glass a few desperate looks.

Eventually, she picked a piece up. Her breathing became heavier. She felt the sensation of a panic attack coming on. She lowered her hand, the edge of the glass starting to cut into her flesh.

A slight tickle in her abdomen stopped her. Was that a kick from Baby Todoroki? She gasped, tossed the shard away, and placed her palms over her stomach to feel more.

"Ma'am?" An officer approached her.

She jumped and looked through clouded eyes up at the man.

"A civilian reported a scream. Are you hurt?"

She sobbed, unsure she heard him correctly.

"Someone heard me? And they didn't come help?" She must have misunderstood.

"Please remain calm, miss. I'm sure they thought a Pro would have been here sooner. What happened?"

"Remain calm? Remain calm? Are you shitting me? I was just raped and you're telling me that someone heard and could have helped stop it?!" She started to yell as she climbed back to her feet.

"Raped?" Himiko Toga asked from behind the officer.

She was wearing PJs and her hair was down, so no one would recognize her. She thought she had smelled Gini's blood and she wanted a taste.

"Let's get you to a hospital and checked over," the officer asked and reached out a hand to get her.

"Leave me alone! Don't fucking touch me!" Gini snapped and slapped him away.

"Ma'am control yourself! If you hit me again, I will charge you for assault!" The policeman warned.

She glared at the man. He needed to go back to school to learn how to treat victims. What a piece of shit cop. Her anger and disgust at what happened to her took over her sensibility. She closed her right hand into a tight fist, pulled her arm back, and then slung her fist into his face with all her weight behind the punch.

He dropped to the ground, blood streaming from his nose.

"Wait! Get back here!" He called after her.

She began to feel her quirk return as she ran past the fallen officer. She heard him call for backup. Her beautiful sunset orbs transformed into burning rubies as she let the anger flow from her skin and into the air around her.

This sleepy town was going to feel her hate. They were going to feel her rage. They were going to feel the wrath of the Silver Sorceress. They were going to feel the scorch of a pregnant woman's scorn.

Kai Chisaki awoke a slumbering demon within the tame woman, and he would rue this day. Her parents were right; her quirk was a curse. She was never meant to be a hero. She was meant to break down cities. She was meant to destroy countries.

* * *

**-LOV POV-**

Hey, bossman Shigs. I really need you to check the tapes," Toga pleaded with Shigaraki as he continued to argue with Dabi.

The two had been at each other's throats in utter disagreement about Gini's current job for over twenty minutes now.

"Not now, Toga," Tomura sighed.

"But it's important!" She insisted, pouting and hoping that she hadn't heard Gini correctly.

Her Gin-Gin couldn't have been..._raped_. That didn't happen to the good guys. That only happened to outcasts like her.

"You know what? Fuck you Shigs. Gini isn't working out her debt to you. Think of something else for her to do. I'm out. I now have a pill-popping woman to support and I don't have time for your dawdling."

"She's not a fucking pill-popper, don't be so dramatic. She's only trying to get mental breaks for crying out loud. Stop turning this into something it isn't," Tomura snarled. He hated Gini, but he didn't think she should be called out of her name. Only he, her _boss, _could do that.

"Shigaraki, please, look at the tapes of the alley by our place._ GINI_ was hurt! I heard her tell the officer outside that she was...that she was..."

Tomura, Dabi, and a few of the other members that were present stopped what they were doing and turned to her.

"That she was what?" Dabi spoke up first.

"Please just watch. I can't say it. I can't say the word," Toga cried.

* * *

**-Gini POV-**

She was mad. She was furious that she let Dabi walk away from her. She was mad that she hadn't been honest with the one person that tolerated her more than anyone else. She was mad that she let some twenty-year-old yakuza _kid_ get the best of her. She let that anger out into the world so that she wasn't suffering alone.

Screams of angry mobs forming around her invigorated her need for destruction. She watched groups of people argue over the littlest of things. She let the disgust flow through the crowds until her eyes landed on a baby in a stroller.

She froze and looked at the damage she had created. Three building were already on fire. Were there children in them? She blinked and took a deep breath. She could still fix this.

The red-hot glare washed away and was replaced by a cold, stone grey stare. People began to quiet down. Control began to set in. Pros were able to rush in and organize the chaos. She closed her eyes and focused on the burning buildings to see if anyone was hurt. She couldn't feel any fears there. Either the victims were already dead, or no one was in danger. She hoped for the latter.

"GiGi?" Shota's cold tone snapped her back to her own position.

She watched his hair float in the air and his eyes erased her quirk. Her nostrils flared in response.

"Give it back! I'm fixing it! I'm fixing the mess!" She demanded as she stomped over to him.

"What's going on? Please tell me that you didn't do this. The media has you running through the streets like you're hell bent on something. Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?" He asked, lifting his hand to run his fingers through her tangled hair.

He had avoided her after his therapy with her was done. He hoped it would help him get over her, but he was mistaken. Seeing her lost and absolutely trashed stirred memories of her.

What he would give to relive that day they took the same bus as teens. He still cared for her which was why he hadn't arrested her right away. She deserved a chance to explain herself first.

"Don't touch me," she snapped and pushed his hand away. "Please don't touch me, ZaZa, I'm gross," she sighed.

He blinked in concern. A grave mistake.

"I'm sorry," she cried and activated her quirk to put him to sleep. His eyes rolled back and he passed out ungracefully on the street.

She thought she was in the clear until she saw large red wings swooping towards her.

_Holy shit they brought him into this?_ Gini thought as she desperately began to think of a way to get him off her trail.

He was the number three hero for a reason. Sure, she hadn't kept up with him too much, but she wasn't stupid about the ranking system.

There was a secret entrance somewhere on the next street. If she could just get to that, she would be okay.

"Ms. Gini. We need to talk," she heard Keigo's cool tone overhead.

He could fly faster than she could run, but she had one small advantage: her quirk. She quickly released a wave of confusion at the flying hero.

"Huh?" She heard him whine and land on a rooftop to her left. She sprinted to the exit she needed.

Soon, she had shaken him off her scent and was at Dabi's apartment. She took a shower to wash the nastiness from her, packed a bag of essentials, and made her way to her uncle's mansion. The yakuza was going down and she was going to be responsible.

She knocked on the door and was greeted by a young man with downward-pointed grey hair.

"The Boss isn't here right now. And how did you get in? How did you get the code?"

She pushed a finger up to his lips to shush him. Her eyes changed to a shade of beige, the color of persuasion and authority.

"I'm the boss. I make the codes," she stated dryly.

The man's brow furrowed as if fighting the daze she was putting him in.

"Yes ma'am," he eventually lost and drunk in her quirk's trick.

"Take me to the others. I need to know what's been going on while my great uncle's been asleep."

"No problem," he replied and led her to the den of yakuza thugs.


	22. Her Savior

Eeeeek we're getting closer to the end! I can't believe I've made it this far. Thank you for sticking around! I hope this chapter is okay :)

* * *

Her Peace

The LoV stood quietly as Tomura rewound the cameras to the past thirty minutes.

"Is there audio to this?" Mr. Compress spoke up.

"Of course," Shigaraki scoffed as he turned the sound up.

"That's hot," Magne giggled as they watched the intimate moment between Dabi and Ginsui.

"Toga, I don't care to watch those idiots makeout. It's disgusting," Shigaraki added.

"Stop watching them and pay attention to the alley!" Himiko encouraged.

"Oh my, she's right. There's someone over there," Mr. Compress stated, pointing to the camera focused there instead of towards the street where Dabi and Gini could be seen arguing.

"He's kinda cute," Magne began again.

"Everyone shut the fuck up. What did she say before I walked away?" Dabi asked, shushing his gossiping family.

The group quieted at his insistence while Tomura rewound the recording again.

"Please don't go away. I'm pregnant," her soft words were almost deafening in the closet they stood in.

They didn't even have time to react to the news. Kai was already stepping over to the woman.

"I... I can't watch!" Magne cried out, pushing the others out of her way to leave.

Himiko covered her ears. It was easier to stomach the recording if she couldn't hear the bird-beaked man's words. Once the deed was done, the League stood in gruesome silence. Dabi's heat radiated the fury everyone felt within.

"Everyone to the bar. Let's stay cool and collected. We can't think about what we need to do next if we're going to be irrational about it _Dabi and Toga_," Tomura commanded.

"Toga, did she give any indication on where she was running?" The leader continued once everyone was settled in the bar area.

"It looked like she was headed west—"

"—Our place is that way," Dabi interrupted, already headed to the door.

"What do you mean 'our place'?" Shigaraki asked, "Oh nevermind, I'll worry about that later. Dabi stay here! I can't risk you going out and giving us away so soon!"

Dabi's icy stare burned through the younger man.

"She's hurting and you want me to just stand here? Fuck that, man," he coldly replied and walked outside.

Seconds later, he was back in with smoke dancing around him.

"Godfuckingdamnit. There are Pros everywhere. Some kind of widespread panic happened and now I can't go find her without getting myself caught," he explained as he poured himself a strong drink.

"Toga do you think Gini had anything to do with that?" Kurogiri asked as Dabi chugged the whiskey and poured another glass.

"...yeah. I tried to follow her, but her quirk reactivated after she hit the cop. The hatred she gave off was so intense that I started to stabby stabby and I ran in here so that I wouldn't go too far. She'd be so upset with me if I killed again..."

"Has anyone heard from Twice or Spinner?" Tomura moved on.

"Twice is searching for recruits and Spinner picked up the last job offer we received," Mr. Compress answered.

He didn't know Gini as well as the others in the room with him; however, he could tell that she played an important role in their lives and it was painful to watch them fall apart. Perhaps Spinner or Twice would be able to help.

Tomura sighed as his phone began to ring, "Twice? Oh you did? Yes, we will be at the meeting place tonight then. Are you sure he'll come with you? Fine."

"What's up?" Dabi asked, his words starting to slur now that his fourth drink was almost finished.

Kurogiri squinted at the drunk man. Why bother with a glass, if he was going to drink the entire bottle?

"Apparently Twice thinks he's found a potential accomplice. Dabi, why don't you contact Spinner and help him get the job done sooner. You need the distraction."

"No, I'm going home once the umm...the umm..." he tried to argue but passed out mid-sentence instead. He slumped in the stool and fell to the ground while Magne muttered an "oh dear".

She rushed over and tried to pick him up. Unfortunately, he woke back up and wanted to walk on his own.

"My babygirl has a baby you guys," he snorted, the trauma his girlfriend had experienced being completely ignored.

"Yes, she does. She's going to be the prettiest mommy. I can't wait to see her baby bump!" Magne added, dragging the slob over to sit on the couch.

"Dabi, you piece of shit. What are you doing sitting there being an idiot? Shouldn't you be plotting something nasty?" Shigaraki huffed.

"Why would I do that when I'm so happy right now. My kid's still alive, Shiggy Shigs."

"Maybe it's a good thing he's too drunk to remember what happened after her confession..." Big Sis mumbled.

"Turn on the news, Kurogiri. Let's see if they have any information we can go by."

The warp user quickly obeyed.

"A sudden explosion of anger hit the old Higashi Naruhata town. The Silver Sorceress was seen running from the onslaught as it seemed to chase her. Various reports from witnesses claim that she stopped at some point and faced the wreckage before they felt a pulse of calm rush through them. Our camera crew caught the hero in an odd discussion with the Pro, Eraser Head..." the news anchor spoke as a recording of Gini asking Aizawa to return her quirk so that she could continue to fix the mess played.

"Look at her go with my baby. She's glowing she's so beautiful and strong and brave and just look at her go," Dabi slurred as the staples around his eyes began to strain from his misplaced grin.

Mr. Compress knew it was only a matter of time before the man sobered up and got angry again. He hoped the building would remain intact whenever that happened.

The camera cut back to the newscaster.

"As you can see, she admitted that she was calming down the strange behavior so that the other Pros could step in. Without her, who knows what could have happened."

"I don't know, Daikaku, you don't think she had something to do with why the chaos ensued to begin with? Eraser Head wouldn't have stopped her quirk if he didn't suspect," a co-host voiced before Tomura shut the television off.

"Kurogiri, you've been quiet this entire ordeal. Do you have any opinions on what we should do about this?"

The man did not reply. Instead, he dismissed himself to his room. He sat there and debated going out and finding Gini himself. She was notorious for her secrets; yet, he had kept a big one from her.

The day she first showed up, he looked after her for Aizawa's sake. He had talked Tomura into keeping her away from All for One. It was hard to believe that they had known each other as teenagers. He joined the A class his second year and she had been the first to greet him.

She wasn't as close to him as Hizashi or Shouta had been, but she was still friendly. His laugh always sent her into a fit of giggles. She had said that it was contagious, that laugh. The few times he shared it in her presence as this new creature, new person, she had been too drunk to notice.

He was a monster, but his past was suddenly waking up after being in deep hibernation for so long. And all it took was seeing her argue with Aizawa. What did she call him back in those days? ZaZa? They were good together. They were healthy together. They would still be that way had he not helped Shigaraki at the USJ.

Kurogiri felt sorry for the scarred man in the other room. He would have been a good match for her too if he hadn't been so...broken and altered himself. Dabi, as he asked to be called, wanted the woman but had no idea the consequences he would face after getting the girl. It was meant to be a disaster from the start, and Kurogiri just silently let it all happen.

_I'm a monster._ Oboro thought desperately as he sank back into the abyss of Kurogiri.

"WHAT THE FUCK DABI," A hissing Shigaraki interrupted the warping villain from his thoughts.

"I said let me go. I just remembered that I still need to burn that officer to the bone. The prick. And when I find Overhaul, he's dead," the man drunkenly cackled.

Kurogiri sighed. He could smell the smoke already. They would have to relocate again, it seemed. Blue flames peeked under his door as he began to warp the members to another location.

* * *

**-GINI POV-**

The sunset-eyed woman sat in Kai's office, debating her next move. The Hassaikai members present in this base were already on her side even if they were unknowingly so. She had been too brash though, too forward. She should have stayed home. Dabi would have appreciated that. She could have used that extra time to process what had happened to her. She was still running on adrenaline.

If her lover was furious before, then her current predicament was going to be what pushed him to cut her off. Maybe it was better that they would no longer be together. Why would he want to touch her after...after she was just used by someone else? She was gross. She was unclean. Dabi wasn't going to want her anymore, so why not "pay her debt" like Kai wanted. What else did she have to lose?

She had lived a pleasantly boring life for the past decade.

In less than one year, she had broken up with her high school sweetheart, a man she thought was her soulmate. She had gotten involved with the Pro Hero society she hated again, she had fraternized with a growing criminal organization, and then she ended up hooking up with one of those members that just so happened to be the dead son of a man that ruined her professional career to begin with.

But she didn't stop there, no.

She then got pregnant by the self-dooming man, inserted her 17-week-pregnant self into the Shie Hassaikai despite her father abandoning it for her sake, and had literally zero idea on what the hell she was going to do next.

Would she go through with her plan on turning the criminals on themselves and watch them bathe in blood as they killed themselves off? Would she simply walk back out and ignore the calls the thugs would surely send her now that she convinced them that she was the boss? Would she just act like she came to get her inheritance and go if Chisaki let her?

Who the fuck knew? She sure as hell didn't.

If she had been told last year that this is where she would end up, she would have laughed. She snorted at her insanity as she skimmed through Chisaki's business files, completely disregarding her fears of the future.

She sighed as she began deleting evidence of her intrusion. An idea began to form. She could still ruin Kai's plans. She needed to find the drugs he had made, replace them with fakes if she could, and then slowly work her way out of his debt.

He was a man set on control. She only needed to give herself to him, even if she was putting on an act. She pulled out her phone and keyed in "how to be submissive" into the search engine. The first site "The Ultimate Guide to Being a Submissive" seemed promising, so she dove in.

_They crave being used and need to serve._

She raised an eyebrow as she thought of Dabi. She could be used by him all day long and not feel any shame. To be that way with Kai, though? Jesus Christ on a cupcake she would not make it.

She looked over some of the words associated with it: _slave, property, pet._ There it was, the word that loathsome man had addressed her as. _Pet._

_They are obedient and accept discipline when needed._

Ginsui gagged, but continued to learn all she could for the role. When this was all done, she was booking a flight to America. She was going to rekindle a relationship with her mother's family and be done with Japan as a whole. No Emi, no Aizawa, no Dabi, and no Chisaki freaking Kai.

She huffed as she debated on whether or not to call Shigaraki. She had no doubt that Himiko would have told them what had happened to her. Dabi would have found out by now, and she didn't want to deal with him. Not now, not ever. How could she ever look him in the face now?

Instead of pouting about the nasty situation, she opted to explore her new surroundings. She had come to this lair of thugs with the notion of conquering. Now, she was going to be submissive and destroy them in a more subtle approach. It was the safest thing.

And she was glad she went that route. She found herself in a room with a frail girl. What kind of role model would she be, what kind of hero would she be if she let her anger, hatred, and disgust rule her motives?

The closer she got to the small child, the more worried she became. It was all too clear that this kid was part of Chisaki's masterplan. The two pale-haired relatives ogled each other quietly in a mix of surprise and concern.

"Your hair is kinda like mine," the girl spoke up as Gini's eyes lightened to a sunny yellow.

"Are you a relative of the Boss?" Gini asked, lowering herself to sit in front of the girl. She could feel her lighten up, but it was a difficult task.

"He's my grandfather," Eri answered.

"Oh! He's my great uncle. That explains your reddish eyes too. See, my dad had copper ones, his brother had wine-red ones, and yours is something in between."

"Yours change colors. They were orange and pink, but now they're yellow."

"Yeah, they do that when I use my quirk."

"Your quirk?"

"Yes, my dad had the same kind. He said it was a curse. We feel what other people feel...and we can alter how they feel too. Right now, I'm trying to make you cheerful; although, I'm having trouble with it. Did something happen to you here? Did Chisaki hurt you?"

"I'm not...I'm supposed to talk about that. Who are you? Are you working with him?" Eri frowned, looking up at the corner of her room where a camera was located.

"I'm Ginsui, but you can call me Gini. What is your name?" The Silver Sorceress answered, thankful that Eri let her know that she was being recorded.

"I'm Eri. You should probably leave before he comes back."

Gini leaned in so that her whispers would go unheard by anyone other than the girl they were meant for.

"Eri, I am not with Chisaki. But, I'm going to pretend to be, okay? I'm going to stop the manufacture of his drugs. Then, I'm going to get us out of here, okay. No one can know that though. Do you think you can keep my secret?"

Eri nodded, slightly relieved. Her eyes lit up though as her savior's quirk began to settle into her fragile mind. Someone was going to trick Chisaki-san. She didn't know that was possible. It sounded silly to her, but it was hope. If anyone could save her, she had no doubt it would be this woman.

Ginsui still had a lot of work to do. She checked her phone and it read 12:33PM. When would the leader be back?

She took a deep breath and called him.

"Ms. Fukukado?"

"I need things here at your place. For someone who spent a decade planning for me to pay my debt, you really didn't prepare. Do you have a card or something I could use to go shopping with? The League left me a little poor."

Chisaki stopped what he was doing. She had gotten into his home and apparently without any hassle. But, his dream of her being there was finally happening.

"There's a card in the desk drawer of my office. The code to get in is 0509. You can use it only if you shop online. You cannot leave the house. Do you understand?"

Gini stifled a laugh. She knew the code because it was her birthday and she had already taken the card he mentioned before she had even gotten to this point.

"Also, I found a small child here. I didn't know I'd be babysitting. Can I buy her things too? She looks real frumpy in the gown she has on."

Kai paused again. She had already found Eri? He hadn't planned on her ever being exposed. He didn't want her to know what he was doing. That would push her away and that would be dangerous. He needed to give some slack. If he was too possessive too quickly, it would fuck it up. He wanted her to want him.

"Yes, of course. Try to keep the spending under a grand, please."

It was Gini's turn to be surprised. A whole grand? Hot damn, she could do that.

"I wouldn't dare spend that much! I'll see you...when exactly? I've spent most of the morning thinking about you," She asked, trying to sound needy. She wasn't lying though. She spent the day thinking about how she would slit his throat, but he didn't need to know all that.

"You won't be seeing me again until tomorrow. I'll make arrangements with the chef to prepare lunch and dinner for you. I have a list of requirements I expect you to adhere to starting tomorrow. For now, take a bath at eight and you are restricted to my room after that. Do you think you can manage?"

Ginsui bit her bottom lip in irritation. He was already being too bossy for her taste.

"I understand," she forced herself to say politely and hung up.

She wasn't going to go shopping online. It's not like he was going to know, now that she disabled the camera in the office so that it played her going through his files on repeat to look like she was shopping.

"Eri, come on. We're going out for a bit."

"But...but we aren't supposed to leave..."

"Honey, if we get caught I'll take the heat. He's not going to touch you again. Not as long as I am here."

Eri nodded in excitement. _She was going to go out!_


	23. His Punishment

Disclaimer: I do not own MHA/BnHA

* * *

Her Peace

_You're glowing like a diamond ring_

_I saw you bought some other things_

_You're spending like a cash machine,_

_To cover up your insecurities_

_~Cash Machine: Oliver Tree~_

* * *

Eri couldn't tell if she was excited or nervous. All she did know was that her little knees couldn't stop shaking. Her hand never left Gini's. Every now and then, she would look back and see a slouching man not too far from them. His face was hidden by a hood most of the time, but at one point, he lifted a cigarette to his mouth and she saw the deep scars around his chin.

He was scary, but she wasn't afraid. Those that passed him tensed, but something told her that he was following them for a good reason. Was it Gini? She remembered reading a book about guardian angels. It said that not all of them had wings and halos. Was he Gini's?

"This place is perfect! Do you see anything you like?" Gini asked, breaking the girl's hawk-like attention.

Eri looked through the window at the bright colors, patterns, and styles. She liked them. They were like the woman holding her hand. She nodded eagerly, excited that she would get to wear such beautiful items.

Forty-five minutes later, the two spent more than enough on clothes and accessories.

"So, what are things you like? Reading, games, drawing, dancing?" Gini asked, hoping to do more with the time they had before she became a slave.

"What's dancing?" Eri asked up at the grinning woman.

"My FAVORITE thing to do! Why don't I show you!" Gini exclaimed.

While on the bus ride to a small pub that only served Shirley Temples and played upbeat music, she texted Shigaraki and Sir Nighteye.

_I'm in_

That's all they needed to know for now. She received at least three replies from Tomura, but she ignored them. There was a text from Dabi too.

"I'm worried we left him behind..." Eri mused aloud.

"Who?"

"Your guardian angel."

"I'm sure he'll find me wherever I'm at," she winked.

She had tuned out the world around her to focus on Eri, but the little girl's worries about some "angel" made her more observant. If someone was following, she should be able to figure it out.

The cutsie club wasn't as crowded in the fall as it normally was in the summer, which took some of the stress off Gini's shoulders.

"What are they saying?" Eri asked as Gini set her up on a bar stool and danced to the song that played.

Gini began to translate parts of the English song while showing Eri a simple two-step routine for her to learn.

Several dances later, Eri became exhausted. How could this strange woman keep going?

"It's only six! Well, I suppose it is getting close to your bedtime. Ready to head back?" Gini asked the yawning kid.

Eri drowsily nodded and unintentionally reached out her arms for Gini to carry her. A light blush tickled Gini's face. Was this what is was like to be a mother? Five more months and she'd have her own to carry around.

Dabi began his lazy following again after finishing his second pack of smokes. He'd spent all afternoon and most of the evening tracking her. The longer he did so, the less he understood the woman he thought he knew. His Gini would have at least sent him a simple text to let him know where she was. His Gini wouldn't be parading around with some random child that looked like her that he'd never seen before without telling him what was up.

He was so worried about her and here she was walking around like nothing was wrong; that she hadn't been assaulted earlier that day. She had ignored him and focused all her attention on _shopping _and _dancing_ and did so with a grin on her face. Was he just a game to her? Play with poor, hurt, Touya and then run away?

He hated to think he was insecure, but all the signs of her dishonesty and secrecy told him he was right. That's when he did something for himself. He walked away.

Gini felt a wave of disappointment envelope her. She quickly looked around and thought she saw a shadow distancing itself from her. Whoever it was, didn't want to have anything to do with her and for some sickening reasoning, that hurt her. Surely it wasn't Dabi?

"Hey, you! Wait! Oh, oof," she gasped as she tripped over something on the ground after she tried chasing the retreating figure. She could feel her ankle snap as she tumbled onto the pavement. It just had to be the one All for One injured months ago.

"Gini, are you okay?" Eri gasped too as she fell from Gini's arms.

"Yes, I'm fine. What about you?"

"I'm okay," Eri frowned as she tried pulling the woman back onto her feet.

She could still feel the follower, but it was too far for her to catch up to without running. She gritted her teeth as she put her weight on it to see if that was something she was willing to do. The pain throbbed and she knew giving chase was out of the question.

"PLEASE WAIT!" She called out to the stranger. She needed to know why they held so much resentment for her. She wanted to fix it without using her quirk to manipulate the situation.

The figure either couldn't hear her, or it didn't care to listen. Either way, she knew it was too late.

She stomached the dull ache in her foot as she headed back to where her 'owner' would be expecting her. The saving grace for her nightmare of a day was Eri. The girl's demeanor was pleasantly brighter after their time together. A few hours wasn't enough to undo the damage Chisaki did, but it was a start.

Eri frowned as Gini limped to a bench that sat outside the yakuza residency. The sky was painted in warm shades of pink as the sun set, but it didn't compare to the kind woman's eyes.

"Gini?"

"Hmm?"

"I...I don't want to go back. But, it's getting late...and Chisaki-san..."

"Oh! I forgot about him. No worries, love, he said he wouldn't be back until tomorrow. We're basically home, so I'm not in too much of a hurry to go back in there either."

* * *

Emi jumped at the knock on her door. Was Hawks back to question Ginsui? She had already gathered her cousin's things and stacked them by the door. If she let the hero in, he would certainly notice. She took a deep breath and peeked out the door.

Cool, cyan eyes looked up from beneath a hood. A lit cigarette balanced between broken lips.

_Dabi? Why would he be here? Is he searching for Gini too?_ Ms. Joke wondered in concern.

"I should have you arrested," she stated as she opened the door.

"But you won't because you care for Gini as much as I do."

"What do you mean? Is my future niece or nephew in danger because of her poor decision making skills again?"

"Let's talk about that," Dabi sighed as he pushed the sea-green haired hero back into her apartment, "Have you noticed any changes with her?"

It was Emi's turn to sigh. By letting an S ranking criminal in, she was just as irresponsible as her best friend.

_Must be a Fukukado gene. _She thought as she told him to sit as she made them tea.

"She lost her confidence about ten years ago. Then, she stopped thinking about herself in general. She spent most of her time focusing on the school students and helping them instead of herself. She never really returned to her pre-Todoroki self...oh I'm sorry I shouldn't have used that terminology. You wouldn't know what that means, my bad," she chuckled as she mentally slapped herself.

"She also doesn't cope very well. Instead of taking things head on like she would have before...her problems started...she now avoids them altogether. I thought she had awoken from that dark slump after watching her fight All for One. I thought that maybe, someone like you straightened her back out. But, you're here which means she's taken a turn for the worse. Dabi, if something bad happened to her recently, she needs time to grieve. " Emi continued on as she handed him a cup of tea.

"How does she do that?"

"It depends on the situation. If she's upset about something that happened to someone else and she feels responsible for it, she'll usually wrap herself up in a blanket and sit in a disgusting state of sweat, tears, and regret for several day in a row. If something happened to her physically...she'd either beat the shit out of whoever did it, _or_ she could think logically about the situation and destroy the person in a way that they couldn't recover."

"So if she were out and about acting like she was okay, what would that mean?"

"Two things. One, she's trying to keep the horror out of her mind so that it doesn't consume her and two, she's already come up with a plan to bring them down without being violent."

"I owe you one," Dabi replied, finishing the tea and standing up.

"Do you know where she is? Do you think she needs me?" Emi asked, blocking his exit. She was starting to worry now that this guy suggested that her beloved best friend and closest family member was hurt.

"I'm going to let her grieve like you said. She's going to be okay," he dodged the question and left the bewildered woman behind.

* * *

Tomura had gathered Mr. Compress, Magne, and Toga into the warehouse that Twice said he would be. It was almost eight and the two-sided member had yet to show up. The leader had kept the identity of the recruit a secret from the others. He didn't want them overreacting. He could disintegrate the foul man himself once he arrived. He was looking forward to it. He was also grateful that Dabi hadn't returned. Unless...unless he was the reason Overhaul and Twice wasn't here yet.

"Play it cool. Don't act like you know what he did to our League mother," Tomura warned.

Surprisingly, they obeyed. The was the first time he called the woman something other than a derogatory slur.

After minimal discussion the led to a huge disagreement, Magne acted against Shigaraki's wishes. Much to the League's dismay, Big Sister of the group was gone along with one of Mr. Compress's arms.

Overhaul spoke in a bored tone as he left behind a broken group of idiots and a business card in case they chose to work for him. How Ginsui Fukukado put up with those fools was beyond him. She was going to learn what real leadership was.

He imagined her already bathed and patiently waiting for him in his room like the good girl he knew she could be. Soon, he was going to get another taste of what she had to offer. He found her being pregnant by someone else thrilling. The fun he would have taunting that fact around in front of the grotesque man she had loved.

* * *

Ginsui sat, staring at the high walls shielding her new temporary home. She had been going nonstop since she was raped. She did everything she could think to keep it away from her thoughts. She couldn't run from it forever.

"Eri, take the key and go on to your room. I'll be in there soon to give you a bath and read you a bedtime story, okay?"

"Okay..."

Gini watched the tiny girl gather her bags and walk away. Tears already blurred her vision as she desperately fought to keep them away.

The street wasn't a busy one. Most that lived in this part of town were wealthy and elderly. Those types of people were already turning down. She ducked her head into her lap and tugged at her silver locks to reel in her sudden sadness.

Naturally, the harder she tried to be strong, the harder it was to stop the tears from trickling down her face. Her silent shaking became audible sobs and then quickly strengthened into throaty cries. Her arms wrapped tightly around her stomach as she attempted to regain some dignity once she felt Chisaki approach.

"It's hard to see through the rain when you're the storm," Kai stated after he assessed the broken woman. This wasn't exactly how he wanted to find her, but he found it best to be compassionate now and punish her later.

"She dried her face with a sleeve and jumped to her feet, ready to slap him. Unfortunately, her broken ankle betrayed her and she fell back down before she could even lift an arm to swat at him.

She tried to pull away from him as he removed a glove and grabbed her leg, but his grip was strong and her attempt to kick him off sent pulses of sharp pain from her leg and up to her back.

"Hold still, pet."

She reluctantly obeyed. She felt the pain disappear and watched in awe as the swelling vanished.

"Are you done being a victim now?" The healer asked after placing a choker around her neck.

She crossed her legs in defiance. Kai stared at her, as if encouraging her to act out. She snorted at his display of power and turned her head to ignore him. Suddenly, a sharp shock passed through her spine, forcing her to cry out in pain and twitch with her hands clenched around the choker her had placed on her.

"That's not the proper way for my pet to behave."

She was still coughing in pain when a burst of electric blue flames engulfed the man in front of her. The frighteningly hot display of icy-blue flames licking her scorched attacker brought a devilish smile across her face.

Chisaki was wheezing on the ground, making inaudible noises as he struggled to reconstruct himself.

"There's a few things you need to know if you're going to claim her. She likes music and dancing. She prefers forks to chop sticks. She hates hot tea. Her favorite color is yellow and she fucking hates being tickled. If you assault her again, and yes you little shit I will know, if you do that to her again, you will feel the agonizing sensation of your skin and muscle peeling from your bones as I slowly cook you. I will laugh while I light a blunt over your fucking ashes. Do I make myself clear or do you need a refresher?" Dabi snarled as Chisaki sputtered blood.

Ginsui shook in a combination of fear and excitement until she could finally see Dabi through the billowing smoke. A trail of blood was seeping from his tear ducts and slowly dripping in a pool around him. He had risked too much attacking. He risked damaging himself for her and for what?

A fluttering sensation in her abdomen told her why.

"You remembered what I said, right? That I'll always love you?" She softly spoke up as Dabi's maniacal laughs filled the empty streets. She needed him to calm down.

He stopped his wild laughter and examined her with feral eyes.

"I'll never forget, doll face," He licked his teeth and sauntered over to her. He was still in a deranged state and his closeness terrified her. He burned the collar off her neck, leaving a fresh burn in its place.

"Do you see this, Overhaul?" Dabi snickered, pulling Gini's sweater down to reveal the scar he had given her the night she hooked up with Aizawa. "She's already someone's pet. Keep that in mind the next time you want to slap a collar on her."


	24. His Little Snow

Warning: This chapter is REALLY long and I hope that doesn't discourage anyone from finishing it! It was also heartbreaking but on an exciting level? I guess? Hell, I don't know. I also needed to practice being descriptive, so I'm sorry if it was too wordy! Thank you for checking this chapter out!

* * *

Her Peace

_I thought that we were meant to be_

'_Till you struck out like one, two, three_

_The thought of you was heavenly_

_At first, now it's where Hell will be_

_~Suicidal: YNW Melly ft Juice WRLD~_

* * *

They stood there, unmoving.

Two broken individuals stood there with the crisp winter wind demanding them to move with it.

The stars brightened the blackening night. One was emotionally crumbling as her heart cracked with each step her love took farther away. The other was physically damaged, carefully putting back the pieces of his missing flesh.

Thirty minutes they stood, staring at one another.

Forty minutes they stood, daring the other to act first.

Dabi had been gone for forty-five minutes now. Was this really his goodbye? Was that the end of Gini's wild ride? He warned her that he would cut her off if she kept this act up.

She couldn't blame him. It was her fault. She only had herself to blame, stupid woman.

"Eri needs my care. May I share her room tonight?" The solemn woman asked.

Chisaki nodded his head. He kept her six feet away. He was afraid to even breathe on her.

"There's somewhere I need to go," Chisaki finally spoke.

He was Overhaul. He wasn't going to let that Frankensteinien monster best him. Besides, he had other meetings to get to.

* * *

Blue flames ate away at the closet full of baby items first. Soon, they engulfed the entire bathroom before they gnawed their sizzling teeth into the rest of the apartment. The burning fingers of his insatiable fire quickly gripped through the whole building, leaving nothing untouched but the people that had managed to get out in time.

Dabi lazily walked away from his inferno. He was running late to Shigaraki's summons about a meeting going bad. He didn't want to go, but part of him hoped that the League got a new recruit and that it was a female. He'd never get over Gini emotionally, but he could at least fuck away his problems.

Of course, when he made it to the base there was no recruit. Instead, he was met with a fuming Shigaraki blowing him up about the loss they had taken. It was good that Gini wasn't here. She wouldn't have handled Magne's death very well. By the looks of things, neither were Jin and Himiko. What a fucking mess he walked in on.

* * *

-2 MONTHS LATER-

The months since she'd last seen Dabi ticked by in an unusual manner. At this rate, she had been pregnant longer than she had been active with the man and it didn't sit well with her. This wasn't supposed to be how soon-to-be-parents behaved.

To distract herself from her internal strife over the matter, she had somehow convinced Kai to let her oversee Eri's experimentations. She expected constant arguing with Overhaul; however, they had only shared one fight the entire time she'd been here.

It was when she caught him operating on her cousin. Her hands instinctively blocked him from slicing the quivering child. She wasn't sure what convinced him to hesitate. It didn't really matter. He had stopped and allowed her to persuade him into letting her try it her way. All she needed to do was provide him with results.

She did. What he didn't know, was that she had been using her own blood in place of Eri's. The already successful bullets were secretly being replaced with her fake ones. The faulty ones wouldn't be revealed until after the yakuza used them on the field.

By that time, she would be long gone with the girl she had developed a motherly bond with.

She was even able to share the information of the faux duplicates with both Tomura and Nighteye without raising any alarms within the criminal house. She had never been this lucky. Things never worked out for her. Karma must have opted to be kind to her this time.

Two whole months of this and the man only had a dozen or so functioning quirk suppressants left; half of which were supposed to terminate a quirk permanently. She knew one was reserved for her and hoped she'd manage to get out before he decided to shoot her with it. With the way things were going, she didn't think he would do it though.

The most surprising thing about the entire situation she found herself in, was Kai himself. He was nothing like he had been that day he forced himself on her. Their 'relationship' if it could be called that, was strange to say the least. At first, she was required to be with him 24/7, except, she couldn't be any closer than arm's length. Eventually, he allowed her to touch his personal items like jackets, paperwork, etc. (after washing her hands of course) and even let her venture around outside as long as Rappa or Shin tagged along.

Her surprise with him didn't stop there. It was only topped by his choice in _pleasure_. Ginsui assumed he'd be just as savage as he had been the first time he got his hands on her. Much to her wonder, he had yet to force her to do anything that involved physical contact. It seemed that he had taken Dabi's warning literally.

Instead, she had to do nonconventional tasks such as bathing in a milk and honey filled tub as he watched to make sure she cleaned herself properly. Or the one time he made her spend hours cleaning their room in nothing but an old-fashioned garter belt and black thigh-high tights after she ate in the bed and forgot to clean up the crumbs before he climbed in with her. Those weren't even the weirdest of his requests.

The strangest among them were the ASMR recordings she had to make for him every weekend. She wondered what he did with her soft sighs, laughter, and other various noises she made for them. He didn't dare lay a finger on her though. She eventually found the quirky requests fun. Sexually stimulating acts without actual sex? Yeah, she could do that!

Her faithfulness to Dabi remained intact and maybe he'd accept her back once this chapter in her life was all over with.

Ginsui knew that Kai's unusual appetite was a ploy to get her to trust him, to get her comfortable enough with him so that _she_ would initiate the first step in physical affection. She was familiar with Stockholm Syndrome and how others would say that she was playing into it. She had ten years of psychological training behind her belt. He couldn't groom her even if he tried harder.

Twice and Toga were sent over from Tomura after he hadn't heard from Ginsui in weeks. At first, they seemed genuinely excited to see her again. But once the joy of being rekindled wore off, they had to confess the horror of Magne's death. Gini shared a long night of mourning with them.

Her friend's death kept her focused on finishing the mission successfully. Had Big Sis not been taken from her, she knew she'd probably scrap her original ideas just as she had when she first went to the League. Sis's death kept her grounded, kept her sane. The loss kept her goal-orientated and awake.

Still, her stay with the yakuza had been oddly peaceful. Chisaki—unless he was better at feigning ignorance than she gave him credit for— didn't seem any wiser about the fact that his minions were still under her influence.

Chisaki noticed that the air about the house was livelier since he began letting Gini work on Eri. The longer the experiment liked living there, the more ammunition he would have. The longer he let Gini have her way, the more trusting she would be towards him. He had been so patient. He was ready to have her. He couldn't help but imagine the way her thighs would taste between his teeth. He coughed to snap himself out of the daze. He was close and he knew it.

"Pet. You have a doctor's appointment today at ten thirty. Will you be taking Eri with you? She's been acting stir crazy," Kai asked as Gini prepared them breakfast.

"Please, please, please, please," Eri begged between mouthfuls of rice.

It was the perfect time for Gini to move on to part two of her plan: the escape.

"I would like the company," Gini smiled at the antsy six-year-old.

The tall woman dressed in an ankle-length black dress that had a rose pattern adorning the dark fabric. It hugged over her stomach lovingly. She only had three more months to go. She was already so swollen; she couldn't fathom getting any larger. Her ribs were going to snap!

Eri enjoyed watching the woman's stomach grow. Pregnancy was an alien concept to the child, but the experience was still interesting for her—especially the parts that involved watching the baby move beneath the mother's tight flesh. Today, they were going to find out if it was a boy or girl.

Gini said she wanted a girl, so Eri wanted that as well.

Ginsui spent the ride over to the office praying that her little one was a girl. If she learned anything from the Todoroki's, it was that the only child the least prone to temperamental mood swings was the daughter. Maybe that could also mean that Rei was mistaken about the quirk type too. Maybe 'Baby Roki' as she had begun to call it, was meant to be an ice caster instead.

"All righty, Ms. Fukukado, are you and this precious cousin of yours ready for the results?"

"Yes!" Eri couldn't help but burst out.

"The baby is...a BOY!" The doctor announced, tossing blue confetti over the pouting girls.

"I don't see either of you smiling, but that's okay! Most new mothers react the same. They all want to buy the fancy dresses and bows. That will wear off soon enough, so don't be too disappointed!"

_Fancy dresses and bows? If only she could tell the doctor that was the least of her concerns._

"Now we need to discuss your health. Your hemoglobin levels are much lower than they were the last time you were here. Were you recently in an accident that caused you blood loss?"

"Yes, I cut my arm while reaching for a knife to make dinner the other day," Gini lied, already showing the doctor the cut she had made for making Chisaki's bullets.

The doctor raised an eyebrow but didn't question the matter further.

"Nighteye requested a report as well."

"Yes ma'am. Please tell him that if he doesn't see me by the end of the week, two days from now, that my plan failed, and backup is required."

"I understand. You don't need me to remind you that more than one life is at stake," the doctor frowned.

Ginsui looked at Eri. "Three, counting my..._son."_

"Take care, Ms. Gini."

* * *

"Ugh, that was awful. I'm glad it's over," Gini sighed as she and Eri stepped outside. The sky was heavy with bundles of grey cotton. It would snow soon, she could feel it.

She hated the cold. She hated the snow. She despised the flaky clumps of harsh ice and the way it stuck to clothing and the ground. She hated that crunching sound it would make as people danced around in it.

Her stomach rolled as her baby stretched. He hated the cold too, but at least he wouldn't have to experience it. He was comfortably nestled in the warmth of her womb. She wished she could visit Dabi. She wished she could bask in the warmth of his arms again.

"What did you mean about a plan?" Eri asked, getting Gini's attention back.

"You're about to find out."

"Rappa-san is the other way, Gini," Eri's eyebrows scrunched together after Gini pulled her into the opposite direction.

"We can't go back just yet."

Eri obediently followed her caregiver as they wove in and out of crowded streets and backroads until they found themselves standing in front of a building with a large UA printed on it.

The youngest watched her leader eagerly as the woman blinked into an iris-scanning system.

Gini clenched her hands in frustration when the gate failed to open. She knew that this was a possibility. The school had to terminate her access after she resigned. Still, it was the easiest way to get Eri to a safe place. Fortunately, she had already planned ahead in case this happened.

"Oi!" Rappa's obnoxious voice called out to them.

_Shit, he already found us_, Gini thought bitterly.

"I'm sorry sir, we're not the girls you're looking for," she causally replied while she waved her hand in front of his face. She would have been a productive Jedi; but alas, she was stuck in the real world instead.

The man apologized and began to walk away in a confused state.

"Gini...what if he figures out what happened and tells Chisaki-san..."

"Don't worry, sweet Eri! I can always get them both to forget about it."

Dabi snickered at Gini's failed attempt at getting into the school. It was too bad that she didn't have a sibling with an identical eye color to hers. That's how he was able to gain access to see how his youngest brother's first day of school went.

He hated being active during the day. It was harder for him to blend in. A burgundy beanie covered his uncombed hair while a matching scarf shielded his face from passersby. He didn't like the way the cotton caught on his staples.

Speaking of those, they were now a bright, yellow gold. He exchanged them and his piercings for the new color because the original light metallic color reminded him of Gini's hair.

He once liked that, but ever since he started sleeping around with females he'd bring home from various clubs, he found the color on him repulsive. The gold was supposed to help erase the woman he was watching from his thoughts.

Obviously, it didn't work. He still found himself asking around about her. So much so, that he learned of her doctor's appointment which led him to this point. What the fuck was he doing here?

His cyan eyes grew as they landed on her swollen stomach as she stretched across from him.

_Goddamn she's breathtaking carrying my child_. _None of those sluts I toyed with last night could hold a candle to her._

He clawed at the back of his neck to snap him out of the trance she put him in. This allowed him to change his focus to the tiny figure beside her. His eyes widened again once he realized he'd been spotted.

"Gini! Gini, it's him! It's your guardian angel!"

"Huh?" Gini asked, once again slapping herself for mentally neglecting gauging their surroundings.

She turned in the direction Eri pointed and her heart naturally swelled as large as her abdomen once she locked onto the man. His cold stare was as frightening as it was beautiful. If only she could have those oceanic orbs look at her lovingly again, just one more time. Was this how Aizawa felt when she moved on? Her heart skipped a beat when he whistled for her to come over.

She fingered her delicate curls nervously as she neared him, her heart racing the entire way. He leaned on a lamppost, silently observing her anxious mannerisms.

Dabi thought he was going to puke as her one-of-a-kind sunset eyes bravely checked him over. Regret of messing around behind her back started to set in. He swallowed sharply, allowing himself to brush away those negative feelings. He shouldn't feel guilty, they weren't together anymore. He didn't owe her any explanations for what he did after their split. She made her choice.

"You've stopped eating again...I like the gold..." Gini spoke up once she was close enough. She fingered her hair again, avoiding eye contact.

"I'm not here for small talk, Ginsui."

"It's a boy," she replied, tightening her grip on Eri's hand and quickly walking away before the man could see the blush of embarrassment flash across her face.

_It's a boy_ rang in his ears. Her tone was like steel, hateful even.

Why did she let herself be so vulnerable around him? She was only going to look foolish, and rightfully so. She could feel his disconnection from her. She would rather him burn her again. That was less painful than his lack of care.

She continued her defeated retreat, feeling her baby press up against her damn ribs again. He seemed more alert after hearing his father's voice.

"He...wasn't as nice as I thought he would be. Is he...is the father?" Eri mumbled, as Gini tugged her away hastily. She could see the woman's face getting redder with each step they took.

"Yes," Gini eventually answered once she felt the need to bawl like a baby pass.

"Where have you been? What's wrong? Did someone hurt you?" Chisaki's questions began as soon as the two were in the vehicle. She didn't expect him to be the one picking her up.

"I wanted a snack. Nothing's wrong other than my self-loathing over the fact that I'm the size of a whale and couldn't even restrain myself from buying junk food again and eating it all before getting back here."

"Do you want me to change your diet again? Would that make you feel better? I think you look fine."

"FINE? You think I look _fine_," Gini sassed, happy that he took the bait.

Kai's amber eyes slowly blinked as she continued her rant. Once she was done, he sighed.

"Did I say fine? I apologize. Let me rephrase. You _are_ the goddess of fertility. Your glow is brighter than the sun. Men tremble as you and all your feminine glory pass them by," he sarcastically replied.

Gini blamed her hormones for what happened next. Deep, unfiltered laughter erupted from her soul as the man continued to tease her with dramatic descriptions. She didn't know he had a sense of humor as golden as his eyes that continued to look at her, unchanged.

"You scoff at them as your footsteps leave a trail of blossoming flowers behind. The wind refuses to touch you in fear that it would mar your flawless face."

"Kai, no more," she begged as joyful tears rained down her blushing face, "it hurts to laugh. I'm too big and I can't breathe anymore," she continued her fit of giggles.

He stopped but only to admire her bliss. He hadn't seen this side of her just as she hadn't seen this side of him. Yes, he was getting closer to having her. He licked his teeth in anticipation. Tonight would be the night.

Gini finished her ritual of bedtime with Eri. Just a few more days and Nighteye would be here. Just a few more days and Eri would be forever safe. Sure, she wasn't being tortured any longer; however, she wouldn't be able to fully recover until she was out of the building that her suffering began.

Hours passed as Gini spent the rest of the evening propped on Kai's lap as he finished up phone call after phone call. It no longer felt wrong to perch so provocatively on him. It no longer felt like they were intruding in one another's personal space.

"My pet?" Chisaki asked as he ended the last call.

She smiled seductively as she readjusted her position on him. She was now facing him, her cheeks rosy in arousal as she absorbed his desire for her. His eyebrows lifted as he allowed her fingers to trace his face, down his neck, and linger on his shoulders. Her smile went away once she felt him harden under her ass. She bit her lip in sudden need.

She wished it was Dabi, but that man was no longer available. His actions earlier had told her to fuck off. He didn't have to use words for her to comprehend his utter disdain for her. But _this_ man wanted her, and she hadn't been demanded for in so long. Her goddamn hormones exposed her and only intensified Kai's lust.

The amount of restraint the man had was unbelievable. Dabi would have already ruined her clothes and had his way with her by now. She let her fingers leave Kai's shoulders and play with his tie, urging him to hurry up. He caught her thirsty hands and held them up to his unmasked face, kissing them gently.

"As much as I want to hear you purr for me right now, I have a business offer for you."

She stuck her bottom lip out, but remained silent for him to continue.

"You mentioned the other day that you were interested in some of our businesses. The owner of one of the strip clubs is searching for a manager. I mentioned you, and he's interested. He said he'd be willing to meet with us in an hour. I'll need you to get changed and meet me outside in thirty minutes."

"Yes, sir," she nodded and began to pick through her closet for something suitable for an interview, yet risky enough to land her a job managing a freaking strip club. She was coming full circle. God help her if anyone recognized her. It was only going to be for a few nights. The chances were low that she'd know anyone there.

She eventually settled on a black, low neckline, sequined top, a fitted grey blazer and matching grey dress pants that left little the imagination as far as her curves were concerned. She pulled her hair back into a low, sleek ponytail, ironing out her natural curls. She even took time to do her makeup. The purple smokey eye and nude lipstick would look good in the building's dark lighting.

She checked herself over and was pleasantly surprised. She looked hot. She could feel the confidence grow in place of her doubt. She didn't need Dabi's affection to make it through this pregnancy...or even afterwards. She wouldn't need a man. She could get any job she wanted looking this yummy.

She added a small, black fedora with a grey bow to cover one of her eyes. It gave off a feminine spin on the gangster vibe she needed to run a yakuza business.

Kai remained speechless on the way to the club, his eyes never leaving his prize. Tonight was definitely the night.

"Ah, you must be Chisaki Ginsui. The Boss mentioned his new bride was beautiful, but that was not enough. Look at you, woman, I would eat you up if your husband wouldn't turn me into a pile of blood and clothes, no?" The business owner flirted, leading Ginsui inside.

"Wait here, Mrs. Chisaki as I speak with your partner for a while. We have a few things we need to discuss before I can interview you. Help yourself to anything our chefs in the kitchen can prepare for you. Make yourself comfortable, will ya' hun?" The man explained as he waved Kai over to him and through a private door away from the club.

Ginsui retrieved a tall glass of sparkling water from behind the bar and carefully observed the place. A stripper with a slim figure, white hair, and a shimmering, pink bikini caught her attention. She seemed to be focused on a single person instead of the others around the stage. It peaked Gini's curiosity.

She slowly took a seat along the wall so that she could see who was fascinating enough to hold the woman's attention and she nearly fainted. The stripper's thin body swayed closer to Dabi before she ever so slowly lowered herself onto him.

The glass broke between Gini's grip. The shards sliced through her hand, but she didn't even notice. She quickly pulled the hat further down her face so that she wouldn't get caught. She felt Dabi's jacket brush against her leg as the stripper led him into a room for a private dance.

Gini knew what that meant.

Despite her better judgement, she followed. The rooms here did not have doors, but rather thick curtains for poorer privacy. She held her breath as she heard Dabi's deep moans. No wonder he was distant earlier.

Then she did something she knew she was going to regret. She pulled out the gun Chisaki had given her and began firing warning shots into the air. _Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned_ she thought sagely as her undoing of the club erupted.

"I wonder if I'll still get the job," she giggled as the screams of panic filled the building. She heard answering gun shots and knew she fucked up.

The stripper that had been fucking the father of her child ran out, screaming along with the rest of the workers and customers. Gini risked looking in to see how the love of her life (or so she had naively thought) was handling the cockblock. He was muttering something as he tightened his belt around his bony waist. That was when he looked up and caught a pair of glistening eyes watching him.

"Like what you see?" He winked at the intruder.

Ginsui startled at getting caught and ran as fast as her tired legs could go. She bashed through the door that led to the meeting Chisaki was in and hoped that they were no longer in there.

She took her hat off and buried her face into it, making an "agggghhhh" screamish sound of someone who had messed up. Pregnancy was not doing her mental health any favors, that was for certain. She dropped the gun, causing it to go off near her leg. She squealed, jumping away from it, she made the exasperated noise again as she barely dodged the bullet.

"I'm not getting this job and Kai is going to fucking kill me," she sighed as her trembling finally subsided.

"What did you say, Ms. Gini?" Keigo Takami asked, anger building up within him.

He had heard that she was no longer associated with Dabi, a victory he thought. He was here because rumor had it that the man he was investigating had a little slut here he seemed to favor. He was also here because the Shie Hassaikai was usually found selling quirk suppressing weapons in the area. He was _not_ here to find Ginsui of all people.

He thought she was done with the dark side of Japan, but here she was sinking deeper into it! She couldn't stay out of trouble this year even if her life depended on it.

And it did.

_And holy shit another life depended on her being smart too_, he gasped inwardly as he noticed her baby bump.

Hawks rolled his eyes as Gini looked him over instead of answering him.

"What are you doing here?" Gini asked worriedly.

"I could ask you the same."

"Business," the two said in unison.

"If you're looking for Overhaul, he already left. He was the first to his feet when the gunshots went off."

"Oh good. I can hang out here for a while then."

"Ms. Gini, you take care of yourself okay?" He warned before heading out too. It would blow his cover if he was found talked to her.

Gini sighed as she reveled in the aloneness. It hadn't been just her in a long time. She rubbed her stomach as her son's swift movements reached out to her loving hands.

"Come back here! We weren't finished and nobody's here anymore, doll," Dabi's deep voice let her know that she wasn't the only one remaining behind.

"I...I don't know..." a high, trill-like voice replied.

"Your loss," he slurred back. Gini could hear his bootsteps walk away.

"...Okay, but lets go in there, behind the door," she asked.

Ginsui made an "eep" sound as she crawled over to a desk to hide behind.

The door opened seconds after she pulled her legs from view. She held a hand tightly over her mouth to keep herself from being too audible.

There she remained, hand covering her face so tightly she could barely breathe, as she heard Dabi's sounds of pleasure along with the snow-haired stripper's.

Gini hated snow. That cold, unforgiving blanket of frozen water. She hated it.

Didn't he accept that she loved him? He could, and maybe he did. But, that didn't mean he had to return those same feelings.

"I like your white hair, babygirl," Dabi groaned. Gini risked removing the hand from her mouth so that she could use them to shield her ears from the agonizing torture.

She hated snow.

As soon as the two were finished and gone, she allowed herself to crawl back out and puke into a wastebasket nearby.

"We've looked everywhere, sir. I don't know where she could be," she heard Shin's panicky voice. She needed to get out and into the limo before Kai found her. She could talk her way out of his anger as long as she wasn't spotted in the building.

She was already ducking around back hallways of the establishment by the time Shin and Kai began to search the office. Much to her relief, she found a door leading outside.

"So, it was you after all."


	25. Her Surprise

This story has a happy ending (like three chapters away!). Unfortunately, I have to get through a lot of angst to get to that point. I freaking love all of you that have stuck around with me for this rollercoaster adventure. Without further ado, I would like to warn you that this chapter does have mild drug use and violence.

Disclaimer: I do not own MHA/BnHA. Canon parts are mentioned at the very end of this chapter.

* * *

Her Peace

"Fu...Fuyumi?! What are you doing here?" Gini spat in shock. She had expected Dabi to be the one catching her like this.

"Me?! What are _you_ doing here?"

The two moon-haired women stared at one another in defiance.

"Ginsui? Pet? Are you out here? No one's going to hurt you. It's safe," Chisaki's dry tone reverberated from the walls nearby.

Fuyumi's eyes widened as Gini covered her mouth and pushed them into an unlocked door leading to who knew where. The empath quickly focused her quirk on leading Kai away. Once she sensed that he was at least a mile away, she released her grip from the younger woman's mouth.

She furiously ignored the fact that she could see Dabi's legs hanging off the couch nearby. She made sure Fuyumi couldn't see him. It was better to deal with one Todoroki at a time.

Dabi could hear his sister and babymama talking from behind the couch he was laying on. He was half-baked and not ready for any serious conversations with either of them. He shoved the hookah he had resting on his abdomen under the sofa and prayed that Gini wouldn't call him out. He didn't like getting high, but it was the only way he could drown out his regret and disgust after hooking up with the exotic dancer he had been using as a distraction from Ginsui.

"Isn't that guy with the Shie Hassaikai? I saw him on the news! Wait, why did he call you pet?"

"It's a long story and I really don't have time for this right now."

"Oh, I bet you don't have time for anything meaningful anymore."

"Wha...what is that supposed to mean?"

"We need to talk, missy!" Fuyumi huffed, snatching Gini's hand in hers and leading them to a few scattered chairs in the room they were hiding out in. Luckily, it was farther from Dabi's lazy form.

"I guess we do. Like why an elementary school teacher is hanging out at a strip club."

"Or why a super pregnant ex-Pro that also works for a school is at one."

"Go ahead and add ex-educator to that list of professions I've had."

"What? You quit that too! Goddamn you really made a mess of yourself since you quit being a social worker. Maybe you should go back to that. You were much better at life then."

"Fuyumi, you have a really good point, but I meant what I said earlier about not having time for this. I can give you my number and we can catch up later."

"Not until you tell me why you're here."

"You first."

"Fine. I have a crush on Hawks and I heard that he was investigating that Dabi guy. To find Hawks, I had to find Dabi and he's not exactly hard to locate what with all his distinct scarring."

"Fuyumi, I don't want to be the one to tell you this, but I'm seventy-five percent sure Hawks only likes dudes. And you shouldn't be trailing Dabi! You could get in a lot of trouble! How do you think I got in this situation I'm in now? How dare you talk to me about me making a mess of things when you're about to get yourself caught up in similar drama."

"So, you're telling me that I have a twenty-five percent chance with Hawks."

Dabi nearly choked. How did Ginsui put up with them?

"Yeah, I guess that was the important thing to gather from what I said. Anyway, I have to go."

"No, you still have to tell me why you were there too."

"I had an interview."

"What the fuck kind of answer is that? You need to take a step back and think about how your 'ex-students' would feel knowing that you are out here gangbanging."

"Please do not ever use that word ever again, my ears cannot handle it. Besides, that is not what I'm doing, you goose."

"Ms. Gini what do you think Touya would say if he saw you now? That he gave his life to protect you for this? You do know that you were his only positive role model, right? Did you know that he planned on asking you out as soon as he finished school? He would be _devastated_ seeing you like this, this shell of a woman. He loved how naturally beautiful you are. I bet he would make you go wash all that makeup off. Don't even get me started on your hair! Why did you flatten out your gorgeous curls?!"

"Stop it, Fuyumi! I don't want to talk about Touya. He's dead," Gini spat, rubbing the scar on her chest out of habit. She started doing that every time she thought about the night Dabi emphasized his wish for her to never use that name.

Fuyumi gasped and pulled away at the acidic response. She looked at the scar Ginsui fingered anxiously and read the kanji. _Dabi_.

"Please tell me the truth. Is Dabi, Touya? I mean...their flames are the same, the damaged body would make sense, and every time I say his name you flinch."

Ginsui didn't answer her. It wasn't her place to expose Dabi's secret. Fuyumi wasn't an idiot. Honestly, she had been suspicious about the mysterious villain for a while. She was simply in denial.

"Touya chased you down after all."

"It's more complicated than that."

"Is it?"

"Please, Fuyumi. Please keep this between us."

"I'm going to be an aunt."

"Yeah, you get to have a nephew in like three more months."

"THREE MORE MONTHS THAT'S SO SOON AND I HAVE NOTHING READY."

"Shhh! I'm on really thin ice right now. If you give away this location, I'm as good as dead."

"Ooops, sorry. Wait, are you being serious about the death thing?"

"Fuyumi I swear to God, I'm in a lot of trouble right now and a lot of it has to do with me catching your brother fucking someone else so I would really appreciate it if you would take me serious for two seconds. I reacted like a stupid bitch and started the club shooting."

"So, I was right! It was you!"

"Yes, and if Chisaki puts two and two together, which he will because he's not stupid, I'm going to be punished and I really don't know what all that includes."

"I don't understand why Touya would do that to you, put you in a place where you would act irrationally. He loved you so much."

"Sweet, sweet, innocent Fuyumi, you nailed it. He _loved_ me, not _loves _me."

"That's not true. He can't have...stopped...that's silly to say. Did he do it because of this Chisaki person?! Ms. Gini did you cheat on him first?!"

"Wow, Fuyumi that hurts. No, Overhaul hasn't touched me since I've started working for him; he's scared of your brother. I may initiate something after tonight though," Gini replied, turning towards the couch to let the man know that she was not above being spiteful.

"Please don't let that man stick his goods in you while you're carrying my nephew."

"Jesus Christ, Fuyumi, why do you have to say the things you say? Now I absolutely cannot let that man's penis anywhere near me without hearing you scold me. That's not fair. You cost me hate sex, I hope you know that."

Fuyumi snorted at the dramatic response.

"You weren't really going to do that, were you?"

"No," Gini answered honestly.

"Do you love him, do you love Touya?" She asked, her eyes finally noticing the lean figure on the couch on the opposite side of the room.

"He could tell me every terrible thing he's ever done, and I would beg for him to let me love him anyway."

"Please bring him home soon, Ms. Gini. Please, don't let my big brother become a monster," the younger woman said, tears already forming in her steel-grey eyes as she left.

Gini didn't reply until the woman was long gone.

"It's too late for that, isn't it, Dabi?" She whispered to the man feigning sleep on the couch.

* * *

Her words continued to run through his head hours after she had left him there. He had been given a chance to undo Enji's curse and look at him, wasting away. Words she had spoken to him in the time they shared together haunted him as he dug out the perc he had stuffed into the sofa the other day.

"_Does it hurt, Dabi? Am I responsible for this pain, Touya?"_

How many chances was life going to hand him until it stopped caring? When he stopped caring?

"_I...I love you too. I freaking love you."_

He could be building the family he wanted right now, a family he still wants.

"_Please don't go away, I'm pregnant."_

He let the woman slip through his fingers too many times now.

"_It's a boy."_

Was it too late?

"_It's too late for that, isn't it Dabi?"_

Was Ginsui right?

He groaned as his phone rang. He answered the call, waiting for Tomura's annoyed bickering to begin.

"We have a bit of a problem. Kai lost Gini."

"She's not lost, she's been avoiding him."

"Let's keep that between us then. You need to get back here. He wants to have a video conference in two hours."

"Ugh, do I have to be there for that?"

"I think he found out about Gini's drug tampering. If you want to see her alive one last time, then you should probably come."

He tossed the percocet aside and rushed to the League's hideout. He needed to sober up.

What was it that she said before he ruined her velvet skin that night he burned her?

"_Touya, maybe it's time for you to go."_

No, dollface, it's time for me to come back_,_ Dabi thought as he took a seat on the bar beside Spinner.

* * *

Ginsui shivered in the pitch-black air. No excuse was going to be appropriate at this point. She had been running around with zero direction for at least three hours now. If only her phone didn't die, then she could have used the GPS to get back to Chisaki.

She was completely and utterly lost too. She didn't recognize any of the street names or buildings. She was royally fucked at this point. At least she had her quirk in case some petty punks found her wandering around like a chicken with its head cut off. And they did.

"Oi!" Someone cat called her.

"I said oi, lady! I've always wondered what a pregnant woman's pussy felt like. Come here and give daddy a ride, huh?"

She snorted as she continued to avoid the lewd speaker. It was honestly entertaining. After all the endlessly creative things Dabi would say to her during sex, nothing could really phase her now.

"I know you hear me, bitch," the man replied again, this time she could hear the unsheathing of something sharp.

Unfortunately, she didn't react in time. The second she turned to face the creep, a blade expanded from his abdomen, cutting her forearm. She gasped in shock as she narrowly dodged another blade.

A limo pulled up before the aggressor could unleash a third knife. For a solid minute, the sky rained blood. Sticky, red droplets were all Gini could see as Chisaki roughly tossed her into his ride.

"There is no excuse you can make for why I haven't been able to find you," Kai stated dryly.

His scent was as metallic as the iron-enriched liquid oozing down her face. She couldn't bring herself to look up at the man. She knew the end was coming. She hoped she could get Eri out before it was too late.

"You need to tidy up. You have a few hours to rest and then we have a meeting to attend."

Gini's eyes remained locked onto her feet. Things were not going well tonight. Her good luck could only last so long.

Chisaki's hand was pressed into the small of her back for the trip up to their room. The act should have been one that brought about comfort. Instead, she knew it was an unspoken threat; a dare for her to try to run and hide again.

She looked at the clock on the endtable and noticed that it was already 0500. Had she really been out all night? Eri would be waking up soon for her usual breakfast of scrambled eggs, grape jelly toast, and peppered rice.

Kai ran his uncovered fingers through Ginsui's wet hair as he let her fall asleep after her shower. She looked so peaceful at his side. It was a shame that she had misbehaved so horribly.

He thought giving her freedom would strengthen the hold he had on her, but he was mistaken. He never had her in the palm of his hand. She played him, but he was going to get the last laugh.

"Wake up, Ginsui," Rappa's crisp voice demanded as he shook the exhausted woman awake.

"Hmm?" She asked in drowsy confusion as he pulled her nearly nude form out of the bed.

Her hair was still damp, so the curls around her head stuck uncomfortably to her neck and shoulders. She pulled on a pair of loose fitted, grey sweatpants over her lacey blue thong. Hoping that Rappa kept his eyes to himself, she continued to dress herself by putting on a black tank top that was low cut enough to reveal the thick scar tissue located above her cleavage.

Once she was covered, the large man yanked her to a conference room. Large screens filled the four walls, showing several leaders within the Shie Hassaikai's branches, familiar drug lords, and of course the League of Villains.

She felt Toga place hand cuffs incorrectly on her wrists before Rappa finished leading her to a chair sitting across from Chisaki. Eri stood trembling beside the beaked man. The shabby hospital gown shook in response to the little girl's shivers.

Ginsui looked around the room, calculating her chances of getting out alive. Toga and Twice were thinking the same but appeared bored. She would have to get out of this without getting them involved or they would be in danger too.

She needed more time to think!

"Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to address the boss? He has informed us of some treasonous crimes you've committed against our organizations," one of the lower leaders spoke up.

"According to the rights of inheritance and with me being the Great Neice of the head of the Shie Hassaikai that is currently in a coma, I'm technically the boss here, but sure I'd love to hear what Overhaul has to say."

Whispers from the yakuza spread, concerned that maybe they had jumped to Kai's defense too quickly. The comatose man wouldn't want his family being put on trial this way; especially not one that was expecting a child!

"Fukukado Ginsui,"

"Uh huh, that would be my name, Chisaki Kai," she interrupted. He sighed, irritation starting to awake in him.

"I shipped out some of the quirk suppressants I made before you arrived. None of them worked."

"Are you wanting to put the blame of your inability to properly manufacture your invention on me? That's absurd!" She snickered, using a British accent to tease the man. A few snickers from the screens echoed the room.

He held up his left index finger, warning her that one more word spoken to mock him would be the last before he caused someone harm. She squinted her eyes in acknowledgement. Eri was still in here. She needed to take it down a notch.

"I had a small chat with Eri here, pet, and I learned that all the batches I made were replaced with the ones _you_ made."

The room got gravely quieter.

"After further interrogation, I learned that you weren't using her blood at all. You were poking and prodding yourself and giving me faulty products the entire time."

The room was so silent, that the slightest movement could be heard.

"What do you mean by interrogation, Kai? Did you...did you hurt Eri?" Ginsui replied, the grit in her voice making her usually soft tone gravely. The cuffs on her wrists chimed as she sat up straight, finally taking the man seriously.

"Of course not, Ms. Gini. All I had to do was tell her that I would lock you away."

Gini sighed in relief knowing that Eri was unharmed. The girl began to cry.

"I'm so sorry Gini, I'm so sorry."

"Shhh, shh shh, little dove. You don't have anything to apologize for. I'm so proud of you for telling the truth. What did I tell you?"

"Secrets are no fun. Secrets hurt everyone."

"That's right! Telling the truth kept me safe, see. Everything's going to fine."

"But now you're going to be locked away!" The tears rolled down the angel's face.

"Hey, hey, what did I say? Everything's going to be fine. Do you remember that song we used to sing? The one about counting your steps?" Every night, Gini would sing a song that had the route to their escape hidden in the words.

Eri nodded, knowing what she meant.

"Eri, baby," she slowly spoke again. She needed to muster up the courage she needed for the losing fight she was about to find herself in.

"Run!" She shouted, her eyes turning into Eri's crimson shade as she began to utilize her quirk.

The months she spent manipulating Rappa and Shin finally paid off. The two men were already starting to tear into each other as Kai tried to reach out to grab Eri.

Ginsui was already on her feet, arms stretched so that Chisaki's overhaul grazed the cuffs, disintegrating them. By the time he realized what had happened, Eri was already out of the room, chanting the directions of her escape pattern.

With her arms free, she was able to dodge his uncovered hands. Unfortunately, her swollen stomach left her in a state of imbalance so she knew she wouldn't be able to flip away from his attacks. She altered her quirk to put him in a drowsy state, but he must have found a way to work around that, since he appeared completely unaffected.

"What are you two stooges doing, go after Eri!" Kai yelled at Toga and Twice. They shared surprised gasps but obeyed. The two winked at Gini as the "chased" after the kid.

"You really are quite the hassle!" Kai snarled as he withdrew a needle from his jacket pocket. The liquid of a permanent quirk destroyer swam within the syringe as he jumped at her.

"Shield!" Gini shouted as one of the thugs quickly stood in front of her. It sickened her to use a person in that manner. It had to be done this way. Chisaki had to be beaten by his own ruthless tactics.

She was almost at the door when Hari Kurono blocked her exit. He grabbed her shoulders and savagely shoved her back towards Kai who quickly stabbed the shot into her neck.

The pain from the large needle and the sudden loss of her quirk forced her to faint. When she came to a few minutes later, her left eye was swollen, and she felt one of her back teeth fall loosely onto her tongue. Her arms and her ankles were secured, but with something Kai must have created because she was unfamiliar with the material locking her down.

The room was darker, but the screens were still on indicating that the spectacle wasn't over yet. She spared a glance over at the League's section. Dabi looked as indifferent as ever, but Spinner's constant pacing indicated that her ex was not okay with the situation.

"Let's try this again. After all the kindness I showed you, why did you betray the Shie Hassaikai? I pampered you, I made sure that you didn't go without. I even kept my hands to myself out of respect for Dabi, but I see that was pointless."

Ginsui cleared her throat and spit her tooth out. She giggled as it hit him in the middle of his forehead.

"Overhaul, I just want it to be on the record, that you haven't kept your hands off me. Remember just the other night when I was sitting in your lap? What do you think Dabi would have to say about _that," _she taunted again.

He pressed his hands together, placed his elbows onto the table keeping the two of them separated, and sighed.

"Why did you betray the yakuza, Ginsui?"

"When you were ten, you killed your partner and then felt me up. I didn't like that very much. Not at all. Ten-year old's do not do shit like that."

Whispers from the older yakuza could be heard. Kai slammed a fist onto the table, causing the room to be quieted again.

"But you were just a kid, so that couldn't possibly be why I destroyed your big plans. Maybe it was the fact that you spent the next decade stalking me, planning out ways to abduct me. Honestly, it was a little flattering I'm not going to lie. I didn't think I was all that interesting," Ginsui giggled as he sighed irritably again.

"Oh me, oh my, birdie, it doesn't feel great being called out on your creepiness does it? Don't frown like that, you're too cute to pout! But alas, that wasn't why I did what I did."

"Enough of your games, Silver Sorceress. Why did you commit treason against your fellow Shie Hassaikai?"

"There are three reasons. One, you raped me. You raped the three-month pregnant great niece of the boss. Don't you remember? How does my mouth look now? Still want to stick your cock in it?" She smarted, popping her mouth open for a blowjob. She quickly snapped it shut at the disgust gleaming from his golden eyes.

"Is my face too bruised? I thought you liked breaking things?"

"I said enough, Ginsui!" The young yakuza finally snapped, breaking the table between them.

"FINE! One, you raped me, two you killed Magne, and three you tortured a six year old to make the bullets. RAPE, MURDER, AND TORTURE you sick son of a bitch. That is _not_ how the boss would have wanted his legacy to be."

The room was quiet again. She hated that bitter silence, the quiet before a storm, the peace before death.

"The Heroes already know where I am. You have twenty-four hours to figure out what you're going to do next, pet, because you're about to be in a world of trouble," Ginsui teased the man inches away from her.

All but the LoV present began to argue. Total chaos ensued.

"Give me one reason that I shouldn't kill you right now!" Kai shouted above the roaring of his broken organization.

Ginsui bit her bottom lip seductively before nodding towards the League's screen. Shigaraki, Dabi, Mr. Compress, and Spinner grinned evilly as they lifted their middle fingers.

"Because I'll fuck you up," Dabi sneered, his blue eyes blazing in adrenaline.

* * *

Eri's tiny feet hit the cold pavement harshly. The pitter-patter sound scared the mice away from the running girl. _The blue sky is so bright toda_y, she thought as she burst out of the ally and into Izuku Midoriya.


	26. Her Freedom

Part of me wanted to go a little AU and have Eri be raised by the LoV and Gini, but my best friend told me that was a no-go. She's a better writer, so I am trusting her judgement and went with my second idea for this chapter instead!

Disclaimer: I don't own MHA/BnHA. The plot will vary_ slightly_ from the canon!

**A/N I want to thank My Exeed Eats Carrots for suggesting something more happening to Overhaul than him just losing his arms XD I blame them for the inspiration!**

* * *

Her Peace

_Burning cities and napalm skies_  
_Fifteen flares inside those ocean eyes_  
_Your ocean eyes_

_~Ocean Eyes: Billie Eilish~_

* * *

Eri couldn't stop her bony knees from knocking as Kai led her away from the safety of the two young heroes. She hated knowing that Gini would be sad that she failed the escape plan. The tiny girl buried her face into Shin's shoulder as Chisaki destructively wiped out anyone in their path back to her room.

Her hope wasn't lost yet though. She knew that the woman that looked so much like her own mother had already arranged for backup. She knew that, but her fear was nearly inconsolable as she listened to Chisaki mutter about the things he wanted to do to Ginsui. What was going to happen next?

* * *

**Sir Nighteye's Meeting**

The ringleader for the Shie Hassaikai Raid Team scanned the room. His yellow eyes carefully assessed the worth of the reinforcements present.

"As many of you already know, my agency has been heavily involved in dismantling the remaining Shie Hassaikai yakuza thugs ever since Chisaki Kai, also known as Overhaul, ascended as its head. What I didn't disclose to any of you, is that I've had an agent among them for several months now."

Nighteye paused to let the Heroes process the new information.

"The agent that successfully infiltrated the enemy is none other than the Silver Sorceress. Some of you know her as Fukukado Ginsui or 'Ms. Gini' to the high school students among us. The good news is that she did manage to exterminate all except five or so of the quirk depleting weapons Overhaul concocted. The bad news is that the last response I received from her advised that if she were not here by this morning, that she had ultimately failed at getting out. This means that Overhaul has unraveled her destruction."

"Wait, let me get this straight. Ms. Gini hasn't come back to school because she's been single-handedly bringing down the Shie Hassaikai?" Kirishima interrupted. The relief in his tone went unnoticed to all but Aizawa. The kid thought she didn't return because of him.

"That is correct. Normally, I wouldn't allow any students to be involved in a meeting of this level of high risk, but all of you have already been exposed to the effects of the quirk erasers and have been recommended by your agencies to aid in this retrieval mission."

"All right! I can't wait to show her how stong I've become!" Kirishima grinned happily, hoping to use this opportunity as a redemption of his character for her.

"Yes, it's an honor to be here," Tsuyu voiced as Uraraka nodded in matching enthusiasm.

"Because of your relationship with Ginsui, it brings me great displeasure to tell you kids this: your teacher is more than likely dead."

The room became gravely silent.

Aizawa hid his grimace behind his scarf. He thought the woman had made him feel like shit before, but nothing compared to hearing those words.

He thought his infidelity to her was going to destroy him.

Then, he thought her moving on and _getting pregnant by a criminal_ was going to finish breaking his already cracked heart.

But hearing that she could be dead? That the woman he had loved for nearly half his life and discarded as if they were strangers could be gone forever? _Dead_?

Nighteye might as well have carved his chest open and ripped out what was left of his barely existent heart. The tired man was just supposed to sit there and act like everything was okay, that those words were as normal as saying 'good morning'?

His students were already panicking as they each reacted to the horrifying news in their individual ways.

"I know that is a lot to absorb right now, but there is more," Nighteye spoke up.

"More?! What else could there be after you dropped that bomb on us? You're telling me that one of the most skilled undercover agents in Japan has probably been killed and that there is _more_?!" Ryuko exclaimed on behalf of those thinking the same thing.

Nighteye nodded before bringing up a slide with a picture of Eri. Midoriya and Mirio exchanged looks of regrettable unease. _That_ was the girl they let go.

"I am not sure why the Silver Sorceress chose to withhold information about her family's affiliation with the Shie Hassaikai. I'm assuming that it was because she was afraid that her lineage would pose threats to her reputation as a Hero. Regardless, I am assuming that this little girl is a relative based on looks alone. I'm also assuming that she is why Ginsui stayed in dangerous territory longer than necessary. Clearly this girl is the key to how Overhaul created the quirk destroyers."

The meeting continued in tantalizing discussion as the Pros began a rescue plan.

* * *

**Underground Chamber**

Ginsui rubbed her ribcage as she groaned in discomfort. Baby Roki was sitting up high again and it took what little sanity she had left not to scream in pain with each of the kicks he made. The doctor assured her that he was small!

She climbed to her feet and paced around the prison as she tried to distract herself from the intense burning sensation the cartilage in her ribs were causing due to them being stretched to their limit.

She wasn't sure how to feel other than _blah_. She was hurting, worried, and unsure of everything. Every decision she made leading up to this point felt wrong. The lack of her quirk was supposed to be refreshing. She was supposed to feel as revived as grass in a spring shower. So why was it that she felt an overwhelming sense of burden instead?

She was like a shell, hollow and featherlight with the emptiness she now had consuming her veins. It was like wandering around a maze made of darkness that continued to remake itself within the black hole that contained it.

Without it, she was blind. She might as well have lost her vision, sense of smell, _and_ hearing. The only thing really working effectively was her ability to feel.

_And good God I wished I couldn't_, Gini thought irritably as she tried pulling at her ribcage to relieve some of the excruciating pressure.

She never did tell Sir Nighteye about Eri's existence. She was so determined to finish the job she started, that she excluded that major detail from her agent. She didn't want him interfering with the mission and now she was angry at herself about it, especially if Eri had gotten caught. It was her biggest regret second only to getting pregnant by a mentally unstable person.

She couldn't think like that, though. She had to be optimistic. Help would be here eventually whether it came from Nighteye or the League, it would come.

If the Pros found her first, they would find a way to get her back into a 'normal' life. It wouldn't be the best thing for her at this point considering how involved with the villains she had now become. They would endanger any Hero she would stay with.

If the LoV located her first, she would simply have to find creative ways to live without exposing her baby to the disturbing affairs that came along with criminal activity.

_OR_ Overhaul would kill both teams and she'd be stuck living as his prisoner. Hell, he'd probably force her to have the baby in the metal box and leave them there to die just so he could reanimate her for torture.

At least she wasn't alone with the nasty thoughts. Nope, Baby Roki was right there with her as she discouragingly processed all the terrible possibilities.

* * *

**48 Hours Later**

The gloomy atmosphere was only getting drabbier as the emotionally detaching woman continued to revel in her blank canvas of a brain. Now that her quirk was _forever _gone, she realized how dependent she had been on it.

If she could use it, she would know if her cousin made it out of the hell of house. If she had it, she would know of the incredible battles taking place above her underground jail. If she had it, she could rest knowing that help would get to her soon.

But she didn't know any of those things. She only knew of the decline of both her physical and mental health.

Ginsui stared at the metal ceiling as she rocked in a steady rhythm to keep herself from shivering. She didn't have to look at her nails to know they were a purplish blue as the first stages of hypothermia set in.

Someone should have been there to check on her by now. It had already been two days since Eri's flight for freedom. Gini felt a wave of nausea hit her as her anxiety-driven thoughts marched her into dark territory. _Did Eri not get out?_

The sickening femme hadn't slept, eaten, or had anything to drink since she'd been locked away for those excruciatingly long forty-eight hours. The lack of empathetic connection to the outside world wasn't helping her cope.

She continued to rock as her lips began to twitch from the unbearable cold. She couldn't help but laugh at the irony of being both cold and quirkless.

Here she sat, completely overwhelmed at not having a quirk when all she wanted her entire life was to be free of it. The one time she desperately needed it was the one time she found herself unable to use it to let anyone know where she was. Not only that, but she was _freezing_. How could she be pregnant by a combustion making man and be _cold?_

"Ugh!" She screamed to remind herself that she was still alive despite the numbness she had creeping within and around her.

She wasn't going to last another minute here and that was absolute. The drained woman decided to think of something other than death and despair, like life and getting rescued.

She giggled as she imagined Aizawa riding in on a white stallion with his eyes ablaze in concern for her safety as he easily picked the lock using a rapier he would withdraw from his scarf. He would smirk at her frail from as he picked her up and carefully positioned her on the horse that would lead her to sweet freedom.

_Yeah, that ain't happening,_ she smiled as she let her imagination run to the next victim of fantasy.

She pictured Dabi bursting in, his blue flames as wild as his love for her. His fire would whip at the metal bars keeping her locked away until they melted into a molten puddle. His manic eyes would meet hers and renew the dwindling light of life she could barely keep from going out. He would bring her into a loving embrace before leading her out and into a bright afternoon sky.

_Again, ain't happening. You aren't a princess locked in a tower. You're fool of a woman that got herself stuck in this position and now you're going to die_, she brutally reminded herself.

Obviously, sleep deprivation wasn't helping with her ridiculous delusions. Maybe if she closed her eyes for just a few minutes, she'd feel better. Soon, she found herself lying down and drowsily rubbing her eyes to keep from passing out. If she fell asleep, she would succumb to the hypothermia she was barely fighting off by being conscious.

She forced herself to sit up and continue to rock for heat. Why was she depending on others when she could get out herself?

The woman studied the bars encasing her. She would have easily fit between them if she didn't have a watermelon for a stomach. Her sunset eyes continued to examine the cage as the rusted wheels in her fractured brain began to turn. Could the bars be moved?

She slowly unraveled from the fetal position and crawled over to the bars. She pushed on one with her foot to test its strength. Unfortunately, they were hefty enough that she wouldn't be able to widen them.

But she noticed that the bars were not welded onto the lid of the cage. If she could arrange the cot and bedpan in a way that she could balance on them, she'd be tall enough to push the ceiling off and get out that way.

"Goddamnit!" She shouted after that plan failed as well. _Of course_, the lid was too heavy for her to lift. She knew better than to even attempt that and now her arms were sore along with the rest of her fatigued body.

Ginsui had been tough enough to survive All For One, The League of Villains and all their mental instabilities, and Overhaul yet she still managed to find herself being a damsel in distress in the end.

* * *

**Chisaki Kai's Doom**

"Midoriya really looks yummy fighting that big bad Overhaul monster huh, Jin?" Himiko drooled as she watched her latest crush spar.

"Very tasty! Wait, eww, that's nasty!" Twice spat in confusion as he gripped his blonde hair. "Don't forget to call the boss. Or you could if you want to honestly."

Toga frowned at his reminder, but otherwise agreed that it was the best thing to do.

"Hi Mr. Compress, sir! I wanted to give you a heads up that we weren't able to get the girls. That's right, neither of them. I don't even know where my precious Gin-Gin is! I'm a little worried, but I'm sure she's fine! Anyways just wanted you to know which route the police are taking Chisaki and that his weapons are with him. See ya later, bye-bye!" Toga laughed into the phone before hanging up.

"Let's go, Jin. I have an idea," the seventeen-year-old villain laughed sadistically.

Mr. Compress was grateful for the mask concealing his face. The young man standing in the back of the moving van beside him did not need to see his frown. Dabi would know right away that the phone call wasn't as good as it could have been. Luckily, Himiko had been correct about the route and they could at least fuck Overhaul over.

"Is everything okay, Compress?" Dabi spoke up after the usually eccentric man next to him remained oddly quiet after the call.

"Of course! I'm merely contemplating about what Shigaraki is planning next," the magician of a thief advised.

The two hopped off the van once Shigaraki began an attack. Atsuhiro Sako watched Dabi attempt to burn the sand-using Pro in worry. Ginsui would need him and he wouldn't last too long against someone with a quirk that wasn't affected by fire. Mr. Compress casually intercepted the Pro with a marble before Dabi could get too involved. The older of the two hoped that the cremation user didn't overthink his motives.

"It looks like Shigaraki's already gotten to Overhaul. This will be fun," Dabi snickered as he and his comrade approached the restrained yakuza boss without even a second thought about why Compress finished the fight for him.

Toga wasn't quite ready to join her fellow league members. She watched in slight disappointment as the captured Shie Hassaikai member only lost his arms. She didn't think that was enough and was aggravated that Dabi didn't roast his balls off.

Himiko's grin widened as Chisaki began shouting violently at her and Jin the closer they got.

"Look who's an armless, quirkless freak now!" Toga giggled.

"I feel bad for your big loss. I think we should take more!" Jin frustratedly stuttered as he continued to pull at the hair on his scalp. Ginsui had lost more, after all.

"What a fantastic idea, Twicey-wicey! Let's take _more_!" Toga laughed as she withdrew a sharp knife.

Kai's screams continued to fall on deaf ears as she sliced his pants away.

******Mild Violence Warning******

"Huh. You'd think you be a bit bigger down here with your ability to change the form of things. I guess it'll be harder for you to choke on. Lucky you!" Himiko laughed again before cutting the yelling man's penis off without batting an eye.

"Blood, blood everywhere!" She giggled as she took a selfie with the dick flopping in her hand. Then, she shoved the flaccid extension into Kai's mouth to stifle his crying.

*****Safe******

"Want to take a pic with me, Jin baby?" Toga asked as she bent down to snap a few more photos before sending them to the League's group chat.

"As funny as this is, we should go. We could always stay and take more before we get caught!" Jin voiced.

"We do need to get away huh?" Himiko sighed as she heard the nearing sirens get louder.

* * *

**Ginsui's Rescue**

Gini continued to mumble about how unfair the whole ordeal was when a cloud of purple vapor opened around her.

"I should have come sooner. You look like shit," Kurogiri sighed as he pulled her inside his teleportation.

"This...this is a hospital," Gini replied once Kurogiri pushed her out. She expected to be walking into one of the hideouts where she would have to deal with Shigaraki's berating about how much of an imbecile she was.

"Indeed, it is. The little girl and ZaZa are nearby. Perhaps you should say your goodbyes to them. We both know Tomura isn't going to let you live outside of the League. You know too much about our organization now."

"...did you say ZaZa?" Gini frowned in confusion as the man dissipated without answering her. How would he know what she used to call her ex-fiancé? Was he trying to tell her something?

She didn't have time to dwell on that right now. She began to quietly step through the hospital to find Eri. A few minutes had gone by before the fatigue she was suffering from crept in.

"Excuse me, miss? You don't look well. Were you part of the Shie Hassaikai Raid?" A nurse asked, interrupting her search efforts.

"You could say that, yes. I'm looking for a little girl with hair like mine? She's family and I—" Ginsui was unable to finish as the nurse grabbed her arm and immediately rushed her into a room to be examined.

"I'm fine, please just let me get to Eri. I need to know that she's okay," Gini begged as she tried to remove the IV the nurse had barely managed to insert thanks to her being so uncooperative.

"Miss, you are suffering from hypothermia and dehydration. You need to shut up and be still so that we can help you. Eri is okay. You can see her after we are finished caring for you."

Ginsui made a noise like a growl before relaxing at the woman's soothing touch. She didn't even remember falling asleep.

"She looks fucking terrible," Hizashi whispered to Emi as they stared down at Ginsui's sleeping form.

"It could be worse, you asshat. She could be mutilated or dead," Emi smarted back. Her cousin's black eye was intimidating, sure, but she looked okay overall.

"What are we going to do with her? You know the League is going to come after her if she moves back in with any of us."

"Mic, I'm pretty sure she has a place in mind. I don't know if that's a good thing or not, but I know her well enough that she isn't going to be homeless or in danger any time soon. I think she's finally learned her lesson."

"If you say so, babe!" Mic teased.

"I told you to stop calling me that! I'm marrying Aizawa and that's final!" Emi smarted back.

"Both of you are as spirited as ever," Gini mumbled to the duo staring at her.

"You're awake! Finally!" Emi smiled as relief washed over her.

"Did they say when I would be able to leave?"

"Tomorrow, if your health continues to increase like it has been!" Emi grinned.

"How long have I been here?" Gini frowned.

"...like maybe...two weeks?" Mic grimaced in reply.

"TWO WEEKS?! Oh my god what about Eri? I was told that Aizawa was here too? Are they okay?"

"Yes, yes, they are both in great condition. I bet you'll be allowed to see them soon!" Emi explained before slapping Hizashi in the back of his head.

"I'm sorry to barge in. I received an alert that the patient is awake. I'll need to ask that the visitors' step outside while I examine her," the familiar OBGYN's voice spoke up.

"Yeah, sure!" Emi smiled before pulling Mic outside with her.

The doctor gave Gini an intense frown before she began the usual checkup.

"Please tell me that you're done with active duty. I will force you to be on bedrest if you refuse to stop working so recklessly. I understand that this is your first pregnancy and that you don't really know what is expected of you, but seriously. Stop any work that involves physical endangerment. I mean it, Ms. Fukukado."

"I couldn't work even if I wanted to. I'm too tired, too big, and too fucking broken to even care to work anymore," Gini sorrily replied. Her cheeks turned scarlet with embarrassment.

"Well it's about time."

"Am I free to go today? Is everything okay with Baby Roki?"

"Baby Roki?" The doctor asked, confused by the moniker.

"Oh, sorry. That's what I've been calling him. I'm having trouble picking out a name."

"I see! I remember from our very first meeting together that you used 'Roki' as your alias. I suppose it makes the most sense to apply it to your little one!"

Ginsui sighed, happy that the woman didn't overthink her verbal slip. If the doctor picked up on the nickname, then she could expose a secret that wasn't meant for her to tell.

"He's doing great! We will need to continue to monitor him now that you no longer have a quirk. It was a permanent change to your DNA and not something that temporarily tampered with it, so he shouldn't be impacted by your loss. Even with everything you've put yourself through, he's growing well! Keep up a_ healthy_ lifestyle and I'd bet he'd catch up to where he needs to be lengthwise!"

"I'm so happy to hear that he's okay. So, can I go now?"

"Yep! I'll write up your discharge papers and have you out of here in another hour."

"Thank you," Gini smiled.

She climbed out of the bed once the nurse removed her IVs and bandages so that she could shower. Emi had left her a decent outfit to change into once she was allowed out of the bed. Twenty minutes later, she was cleaner and feeling infinitely better.

Sunset eyes flickered through the halls as she searched for where Eri was staying. Before she found the girl, strong arms wrapped around her from behind.

"ZaZa?" Gini choked up as she felt his thick hair tickle the back of her neck while his nose nuzzled into the nape.

"Do you have any idea how scared I've been for the past two weeks?"

"Not as scared as me, I'm sure," she teased, trying to soothe the man tightly squeezing her.

He turned her around so that she could see how sincere he was. He placed his hands on her shoulders before dipping down to kiss her forehead.

"Fukukado Ginsui, I'm so happy you're alive."

"Thank you for caring, ZaZa."

"Always."

"I feel like there's more you're wanting to tell me."

"GiGi, Emi and I are dating."

"...you finally gave her a chance?!"

"We started catching up again like old times ever since the licensing exam. She started that whole 'will you marry me' bullshit she likes to do and one day I told her 'sure' and we've been a thing ever since."

"You have no idea how much that warms my heart. You need someone like her, someone that can make even the rainiest of days feel like the hottest summer afternoon. Aaaand she won't be content with letting you do your own things like I was, so that'll keep you in check," Ginsui smiled before pulling Aizawa into another hug.

"Thank you for understanding, GiGi."

"You should have known that I would. Also...I have a really big favor to ask."

"It's about Eri, isn't it?"

"I can't take her to where I'm going."

"I was worried you'd say that. Emi and I've been interacting with her the past few weeks you've been out of it. She's starting to warm up to us and I think that once she's released from the hospital, we'll be able to foster her."

"I was hoping you would take initiative with her for me. Can you take me to her? This goodbye is going to be the hardest one I've had to say this year; and that's saying a lot."

"No fuck," Aizawa agreed as he gave her a sly smile.

He gave Ginsui one last hug before letting her be alone with Eri.

"Gini!" Eri cried out, hopping off her bed and leaping into a tight hug.

"Eri, you could not have made me prouder. You are so strong and so brave and I can't wait to see the powerful woman you're going to grow up to be. But, I have some sad news."

"You have to go take care of your guardian angel now, don't you?" The small girl stated sagely.

"That is part of it, yes. Eri, when you see me, what is the first thing you think of?"

"The person who protected me from Overhaul," the girl whispered solemnly.

"If you see me every day, you will constantly be reminded of the torturous past you left behind. I don't want you to be burned by that. You've been meeting with Aizawa and Emi lately. Emi's quirk makes everyone around her burst in joy. You will forever be happy with them. You will get to learn how to be a kid, my sweet girl. I won't be able to give you that."

"I understand what you're saying, Gini, I do. I'm just...I'm going to miss you," Eri gloomily replied, her cherry eyes already filling to the brim with fresh tears.

"I'm going to miss you the most, okay? This isn't goodbye forever. It's only goodbye for now," Ginsui answered as she joined her mini twin with the waterworks.

Several minutes later, she said her final farewell and stepped out into the bitter-cold December afternoon.

Ocean eyes glared down at her before moving on to her blossoming stomach.

"I didn't expect to see _you _here," Gini said softly.


End file.
